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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27937802">Lemonboy AU: Season 1</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cairo_Raiser545/pseuds/Cairo_Raiser545'>Cairo_Raiser545</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lemonboy AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DreamSMP, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abuse of Authority, Amnesiac Character, Angst, Author Projecting onto TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), DreamSMP - Freeform, Edgy Philza, Gen, Good Older Sibling Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), How Do I Tag, Hurt TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I have opinions on Theseus Tommy Careful Danger Kraken Innit Watson, I wrote this to ignore canon, LemonboyAU, Minecraft, No Beta, No beta we die like TommyInnit always, Ph1lzA abandons his kids but it’s not his choice, Portals, Slow To Update, Techno isn’t perfect but goddamnit he’s trying, Tired Wilbur Soot, TommyInnit Angst (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur will (lovingly) throw hands at any time, and over the course of 50+ chapters you will hear them., i found it when doing the ‘no beta’ tag, most of this was written in Physics/Biology/French, please make that a tag I’m begging, there’s a tag that’s just “no lesbians die”</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:14:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>29,345</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27937802</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cairo_Raiser545/pseuds/Cairo_Raiser545</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>TommyInnit is a lemonboy, a rare species, and very easy to permanently kill. He’s managed to survive with only a few mishaps, but this is the Dream SMP. This is the election. </p><p>Nothing ever goes right for Tommy, but it’s about to get a whole lot worse.<br/>The problem is, he can’t remember why.</p><p>Alt: Tommy nearly dies, and loses a lot of his memory. The weight of the future is on the shoulders of a boy who can’t remember his own brother.</p><p>(THERE IS ONLY SCHLATT/QUACKITY FOR CANONICAL PURPOSES AND LIKE A TINY BIT OF ANGST)</p><p>Season 1: The election - Nov. 16th (2021 is when the Canonical battle happens because plot divergence.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alexis | Quackity/Jschlatt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Lemonboy AU [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2069130</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>325</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Did you know, according to Ao3 statistics, only 20% of you leave Kudos, so if you haven’t already, why don’t you leave one? It’s completely free, and if you want to change your mind you will make me cry and I need validation.</p><p>Anyway, enjoy the fic.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Welcome to the Lemonboy AU people.</p><p>Please read the world building chapter that appears next in full so you understand things, and feel free to leave question comments!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When TommyInnit first joined the Dream SMP, he brought with him 3 music discs, a book, and a plant in a pot.</p><p>Contrary to popular belief, Tommy’s first day was spent travelling very, very far away, and planting this odd, twisted thing miles away, making sure it could see the sun, and it was so far that no-one would find it.   </p><p>The next day was spent hiding the book in a chest in the ground. Not anywhere near his home.  Tommy knew what he was getting into when he joined this server, everything was to risk. </p><p>.  </p><p>Dream’s rules were simple:<br/>
- Don’t trade with villagers.<br/>
- Don’t go into the end.<br/>
- You have three lives, then you enter a ghost state. (It is unclear what was meant by this)<br/>
- Outside of the server, you are allowed to revert to a corporeal state, but you must change back when joining back to the server.  </p><p>Tommy didn’t think much of them, but this was Dream’s server, so Dream’s word was law, or so it seemed for a while.  </p><p>.  </p><p>TommyInnit was a person driven by his heart. The discs he owned, given to him by his brothers and father, of course he’s going to fight for them. His best friend’s going to help him, of course he’s going to keep up.  </p><p>Making the enemy of a powerful Gifted is never a good idea, but when has Tommy ever been one for good ideas?  </p><p>When Wilbur starts L’Manburg, of course Tommy’s going to join him. He joined the server and immediately was told that you can’t have things in the COMMUNITY house, then someone starts a fight and YOU’RE the one punished? You’re going to grab the chances you get.<br/>
(It helps that your brother is leading the charge. It’s always fun with family.)  </p><p>It’s a little hard, the betrayal of Eret. He’s experienced betrayal before, back when they roleplayed on SMPEarth. Wisp betrayed the bay. It still hurts every time, it never gets easier.  </p><p>It’s harder on Tubbo though, he was closer to Eret than Tommy was.  </p><p>When L’Manburg blows up, Tommy finally understands the length these men go to. Outside of the server, it’s free game, but here? No mercy. He’s glad he built that bunker now, but he still wishes they didn’t have to use it. The music plays through the room, and he makes a decision in his head.  </p><p>Tommy duels Dream. He loses but it’s fine.<br/>
Dream takes his discs instead. L’Manburg’s safe.  </p><p>- </p><p>An election is held, and the votes are less than good.<br/>
The curtain raises.<br/>
The actors are onstage.  </p><p>Let the story begin.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, this is FINALLY getting some actual story. </p><p>I’ve written Chapter 16, which means you guys get this, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.</p><p>When Chapter 20 is written, I’ll upload chapters 3 and 4.</p><p>I hope you enjoy actually getting some story.</p><p>Also! The characters will probably act OOC and I don’t mind this. There is also a lot of canon divergence. This is to make the plot more cohesive to my brain and how I want this to work. I’m the author, that makes me god! :D</p><p>Happy Reading!<br/>(Also the quality gets better after this this is kinda shit ngl)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. ~ Worldbuilding ~</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Building the world before I forget to do it and make the first chapter really unhelpful. </p><p>Nothing should reveal anything big, it’s all stuff that avoids spoilers Imao-</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The things to build the world, how the world works, how servers work etc.</p><p>- Gifted: Gifted are a higher form of human, they have a natural affinity for whatever they are given. They’re born to usher in eras, new forms of the universe. (Xizuma: Community, Stampy: Compassion, Dream: Quick-thinking/speed) An example I mention in literally the first chapter is Dream. He’s naturally good with keeping stamina and speed. </p><p>- The Watchers: Taken from Grian’s EVO series, the Watchers are god-like creatures that care for the humans in the universe. They decide who hybrids are, who the gifted are, who others are. However, because they cannot speak to humans, they have to claim humans as made-watchers, who are blessed with powers, and form a contact between the Watchers and humankind. Watchers are nice in this AU let’s stop Watcher bashing 2021</p><p>- Others: Others are a pair of people who match each other in every way. Where one falters, the other succeeds, where one struggles, the other strides. They are usually gifted but can be human (although it is rare.) Examples of this are StampyLongNose and IBallisticSquid (gifted) and Skeppy and BadBoyHalo (Human). </p><p>- Glitches: Glitches are little ghost-like creatures, and no-one has any idea where they came from (not even the Watchers). They like to gather in groups where there is a lot of activity. Their presence however, causes problems for humans, and they can cause hybrids, blackouts (unconciousness) and they bite. It’s the server owner’s job to get rid of it.</p><p>- Scholars: The scholar race was born to be aids to the gifted. Every gifted would become friends with a Scholar, who would help them learn about why they were chosen and how to maximise the gifts they were given. However, a hunter raid destroyed the source of the Scholar’s power, killing nearly all of them. Only two survived.</p><p>- Hunters: The Hunters are a dangerous race, created by a rouge made-watcher with the sole purpose of destruction and monopolising. They seek power and money, raiding bases and servers to gain diamonds and valuables for trade. They also hunt gifted and hybrids, gifted for pets, hybrids for breeding. They used to monopolise the Lemonpeople trade before the disease.</p><p>- The Lemonpeople: A race created by a glitch in a modded world. They’re worth (on average) 500,000 diamonds (or 781 stacks and 16 diamonds.) All Lemonpeople have yellow/blonde hair, and their presence allows flowers and crops to grow. Unfortunately a disease attacked their base plants (which tether them to servers) and killed them. Tommy was forced to run away from his home at only two years old in order to survive. Only one book was ever written about them, and only five copies have been made. They also have two leaves on their head, it’s like the receiver to the connection of their base plant. (Haha Tommy is Bluetoothed pog) </p><p>- Relics: Relics are part of a person, created when something leaves a profound effect on someone. Ordained by the Watchers, they server as reminders of the things you have done in your life. Though meant to be good, an unfixable glitch in the Universe (caused in 2007) caused bad events to evolve into relics too.<br/>
Relics are rare, with only a 4% chance of them happening, which is bumped up to 10% if you’re a gifted, as these people were born to serve as a sign of hope to others, and their relics would show that the memories you make are important and should be treasured.</p><p>There will be a rather important relic in this story, though it won’t happen to Tommy. (I’m not for that ‘give them everything’ trope.)</p><p>- Admins: Admins are different to how they usually work in Minecraft. Instead of anyone being an admin, people who make servers are simply “server owners” and admins are chosen to create influential servers. (Noxite: MCC, Simon: Hypixel, Josh: Just whatever Wilbur wants Josh doesn’t have much care, he decided to abandon his ‘purpose’ and have fun and no-one’s stopped him yet. Xizuma: Hermitcraft) A good example is Eret, and it’s actually something I use to explain his betrayal in L’Manburg later in the work! :)</p><p>- Hybrids: Hybrids are usually created by Watchers, but they’ve become more common due to glitches (and happen a lot on the Hypixel server to the point they had to make a kit for anyone affected by hybrids. Chickens are the most common hybrids for some reason?) An example is Fundy, who has fox ears/tail and the ability to screech. (That was hard when Wilbur raised Fundy.)<br/>
Hybrids age faster than humans, depending on their animal type (Fundy is 25, but only born 5 human years ago. (1 Human year is 5 Fox years.)) but once they hit 25-30 years they begin to age normally. </p><p>- Voiding: Voiding is the concept of permanent death. Most people void around the age of 90-100. The name came after a glitch caused a piece of bedrock to disappear, and a person fell into the void. The name serves as a reminder of what people have to be careful of.</p><p>- Servers: Servers are connected to the way you’d expect. I blended game and irl. The “worlds” menu you see when loading up Minecraft is on a player’s comm, and that’s how they get from server to server. Whitelisting and IPs work the same way as they do Irl, and cross-server communication works like email and text combined. It’s texting format, but people respond at the speed you’d respond to an email (maybe when you have time maybe you forget to.)</p><p>- Admin Meets: Admin meets are when a group of admins, server owners and other important people go to a monthly meeting to talk about the new Universe updates, any problems they’ve had with glitches, and then general server news. The “made-watcher” in the group then needs any info from the Watchers to the meet, and the meet to the Watchers. The meeting we follow is a group consisting of the following:</p><p>- Grian (Watcher)<br/>
- Xizuma (Admin/Gifted)<br/>
- AmyLee33 (Human)<br/>
- Smajor1995 (Scholar)<br/>
- Dream (Gifted)<br/>
- Ph1lzA (REDACTED/Scholar)<br/>
- StampyLongNose (Gifted/Other)<br/>
- IBallisticSquid (Gifted/Other)<br/>
- Hypixel (Admin)<br/>
- Noxite (Admin)</p><p> </p><p>This chapter will also be posted in “The Lemonboy AU guide.” However it will contain spoilers. I wouldn’t recommend reading if this is your first time, though every piece will have a title that says what chapter you need to have read for the information I divulge.</p><p>I’m getting this out now to establish this work’s place on the platform, but stay up to date if you’d like! :)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 1) To call a king</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>[Technoblade] joined the game</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>[Technoblade] joined the game.</p><p>The server seemed to erupt then. Tommy’s comm started vibrating like a Minecart on fast rails, chat filling with messages of shock and panic. Tommy smiled, tipped his hat to Wilbur, and rode straight to Spawn.</p><p>Pogtopia’s distance from Spawn was the same as Manburg’s and very few people on the server had horses, meaning that Tommy reached the spawn first, directing his brother to the little hole in the wall, and pulling him through.</p><p>(If Tommy shot a few crossbow bolts at a traitor they passed well… no-one had to know about that.)</p><p>They ride a little while, Tommy hasn’t said a word to Techno yet, instead saying the occasional thing through his comm to who Techno assumes is Wilbur. A huge obsidian and cobblestone tower looms before them, and Tommy signals a stop. </p><p>The younger drops from his horse to the ground and digs it a small cave with a torch before closing it off. Techno takes this time to do what he couldn’t while Tommy was above him. Mute Tommy’s comm. </p><p>“Right, it’s good to see you but I’ll do the mushy shit later. Have you made a panic room?”<br/>“Huh?”<br/>“Panic room Tommy. Where is it? I don’t need a repeat of you on Hypixel.”<br/>“Oh, haven’t made one.”<br/>“You haven’t-“<br/>“Shut up for a second.”</p><p>Tommy shoves Techno into a squat beside him and pushes his back into the brush.</p><p>“Wilbur, Ponk’s at 9 from us. I can go through the trees around the edge but it will slow us down, we have to travel on foot, the cover here is sparse.”</p><p>“Shit Tommy take the trees! You’re fucking injured you idiot!”</p><p>Techno does a quick once over of his brother to see Wilbur’s telling the truth. There are no visible bandages or bruises, but his breathing is shallower than usual, and his left hand is rested at the ribs on his right side. Not grasping or supporting, just protecting.</p><p>“Okay fine. But don’t get mad at me when sundown comes, a creeper blows up because you can’t see shit out here and you stole my torches, and then someone finds us thanks to the noise.”<br/>“Sure Tommy.”<br/>“Right watch chat for me. I can’t look at it without giving away our location.”<br/>“Sure thing. You gonna mute?”<br/>“Obviously.”</p><p>Tommy moves the moment Ponk turns his back, he’s silent in his steps and Techno has to bite back the hiss that’s trying to escape his throat. The loud, obnoxious brother moving silently to protect his life. Techno moves away from the bush, trying to get a good look without alerting Ponk that he’s there. Tommy scales the tree ahead of them, and the rustle of his climb sounds only like that of the wind.</p><p>Techno wanders backwards, just in time to watch Tommy poke his head up out from the top of the tree and throw a wooden button. It crashes into a pile of barrels and Ponk sprints away from the tree line, a shimmering diamond sword in his hand. </p><p>Techno watches as Tommy’s head disappears back into the tree, and tries not to show Tommy how much he jumps when the teen drops silently beside him. They walk, running would draw too much attention, but they’re not slow. Night is falling, and the mobs draw attention. </p><p>“No time to make a panic room? Are you insane?”<br/>“They’d blow it up anyway. I’d have to make it nearby.”<br/>“Blow it up? It’s dirt and water Tommy.”<br/>“Doesn’t matter. If it’s mine, it’s not allowed.”<br/>“Seems harsh.”<br/>“Why do you think we rebelled in the first place?”</p><p>Techno sat on that for a moment. Tommy was the type to start wars over anything, but even he had to admit that Tommy’s letters recently had been rather frantic. He recalled helping Tommy train a bit, months ago when Dream had taken the discs. (Techno would never admit to being a bit harsher on Tommy then. He remembered the light in Tommy’s eyes when he’d received Mellohi, and to hear that was taken was like a stab to Techno himself.)</p><p>Techno was an anarchist, that was true, but he only liked anarchy if it was fun. To just beat someone down endlessly, without reason, or care for its meaning? That just sucked. Techno was surprised Tommy hadn’t left the server yet.</p><p>“I’m making one when we reach wherever you’re staying.”<br/>“Fine, but only if you stick to your promise.”<br/>“No telling Wilbur.”<br/>“Any exceptions?”<br/>“If he finds out, we wait for you to explain things.”</p><p>Tommy changed his posture suddenly, slouching and relaxing his shoulders enough that his footsteps become audible.</p><p>“We’re far enough away from Manburg now.”<br/>“Thought it was L’Manburg?”<br/>“Not under Schlatt’s rule.”<br/>“Huh.”</p><p>The word leaves Tommy’s lips bitter and cold. Resentment drips in his voice and it speaks of vengeance. Techno isn’t so sure he wants to know why.</p><p>“It’s only been a few days since we got kicked, but Wil’s struggling. He's more paranoid than usual, more afraid." <br/>"I'll talk to him"</p><p>Tommy stops, dead still and holds an arm out to block Techno.<br/>His comm buzzes.<br/>[HBomb:] Hey Tommy!<br/>There's a guy ahead, but he greets them with a smile.</p><p>"Oh! Hey Tommy!"<br/>"HBomb..."<br/>"Woah! Is that Technoblade? Isn't everyone looking for him? Why haven't you shared your co-ordinates?"<br/>"HBomb.."<br/>"Do you want me to put it in chat?"<br/>"HBomb."<br/>"Yes?"<br/>"I want you to do nothing of the sort. They're hunting him down. Not too pleased with me."<br/>"But you guys are so nice! Eret talks about you loads! I think he misses Tubbo a lot though."</p><p>Tommy looks pained for a second, but it's barely a flicker across his face, something only his family would have caught.</p><p>"HBomb, do you ally yourself with Jschlatt?"<br/>"No?"<br/>"Then we never met."</p><p>[TommyInnit:] Speak nothing of this.</p><p>It's a risky move, they would have guessed Techno's alliance but Tommy's confirmed it. Technoblade is now, permanently, hunted.</p><p>They continue to make their way through the trees, and suddenly Tommy winces, and misses a step in his walk, catching the tree trunk to stay upright.</p><p>"This the injury Wilbur was talkin' about?"<br/>"Kinda."<br/>"Kinda?"<br/>"Phantom pains. No real injury, just the occasional stabbing feeling. Wilbur thinks that with all the stress I'm under, Dream's bowshot is coming back to bite me in the ass. I think it's the dusty air in the ravine, it's suffocating and there's no way to photosynthesize or get any carbon."<br/>"You've been doing your research."<br/>"Dad recommended it after the duel. Said it might be useful to learn how my plant works if I was going to try and heal faster. He sent me some books in the server mail to read through. I have too much knowledge on plants now. Dad's gonna make me take care of the gardens when we go back."<br/>"He does that anyway."<br/>"Yeah but he'll make me do it MORE now."<br/>"It's not his fault you make everything grow better when you're around."<br/>"Yeah well I don't even know why it happens! All I can do is grow flowers, leaves, and cry lemonade! What's that good for?"<br/>"I don't know? Hydration maybe."<br/>"Yeah yeah, I'm just worried we're gonna have a repeat of 'The Month', and I'm gonna drag us down for the moment, but I can't just fuck off to another server until I'm better. Not without..."</p><p>Telling Wilbur. The words hung unspoken in the air.</p><p>"You two been eating enough?"<br/>"It's been two days Techno."<br/>"I'll ask again, have you been eating enough?"<br/>"No. Wilbur was shot as we left Manburg, so he had nothing on him, and I never had enough food. We ran outta carrots yesterday."<br/>"That's my first job then. Potatoes."<br/>"Oh my god."</p><p> Tommy lightly punched Techno, who shoved him back, and then dug his way through the mountain before them, to reveal a tiny room, barely 9m x 9m. </p><p>"This all you two got?"<br/>"Never."</p><p>Tommy led him down a dizzying set of stairs, that opened up into a ravine, Wilbur sat dejectedly at the bottom, poking a weak fire with a stick. He looked up, meeting Techno's eyes, but all Techno could see was caution.</p><p>That and mistrust.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thought I’d mention one thing I didn’t in the world building, Techno can shift his face from a piglin to a more humanoid form, though for the most of the chapters you’ll read for now, he’ll be piglin form.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 2) Bottom-Up development</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ravine Work comes slowly, but things feel better now Techno’s here.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Work on the ravine came slowly the first few days. </p><p>Tommy would excuse himself for walks, and Techno tried to send him on random excursions whenever he could, though he tried to join Tommy, or send Wilbur with him when he did, worried the pains would leave Tommy vulnerable to some kind of attack. </p><p>(But let it be never said like that. Technoblade isn’t one to care.)</p><p>The real stairs came first, instead of just rocky things to hop in between, they now had a full set running around the walls. Techno spent time building rails, but after Wilbur broke a few he ended up focusing on support beams for the walls, and once they were built, Tommy would work on supporting the roof. As the youngest (and the most malnourished, Techno could curse him for letting Wilbur eat all the food) Tommy was lightest, and had this oddly low sense of gravity, which made it easier for him to balance on the beams (and climb trees Techno supposed.)</p><p>When Tubbo finally stumbled into the ravine, muddied and shivering, Tommy seemed to double his efforts. (Tommy had offhandedly mentioned that Tubbo and Niki were the only trustworthy people in Manburg, and that if Techno ever needed to get in there, Niki was probably his best choice, as Tubbo was in Schlatt’s cabinet.) Tubbo helped Techno to build a farm that was not only fun for him, but efficient as well, using water streams to destroy the plants, allowing Techno to focus on planting them. Tommy and Tubbo would eat lunch on the beams, the cobblestone one mainly, and swing their legs, chattering away about the most random of things. </p><p>When Tommy went back to Manburg to ‘swipe a few things’ he instead came back with a horse. Techno had at first been worried about it revealing their location, but the half-smile on Wilbur’s face when Tommy mentioned stealing it from Fundy meant he kept his thoughts quiet.</p><p>Wilbur had been suspicious of how Tubbo had gotten away from Schlatt, but when Tubbo revealed that he said he was pregnant and Schlatt actually believed it, Techno began to question just why this much manpower was needed to defeat such an idiot.</p><p>He learnt his lesson a few days later.</p><p>[TommyInnit was slain by Ponk]</p><p>Tommy respawned in the base, cursing like a sailor. Something about Ponk being a ‘thick-headed bastard’ and that Tommy was ‘no-where near bloody Manburg.’ </p><p>Ponk continued to kill Tommy over the next week multiple times. Each time when Techno went to grab his items, they’d be in the middle of a forest, no-where near Manburg or its inhabitants. Sometimes it would be when Techno had sent Tommy out for oak wood. More than once, Tommy would stumble back into the ravine, nearly falling down the stairs, shoving whatever material Techno had asked him to get into a chest, before getting Tubbo to help him bandage the new wounds.</p><p>Techno knew better than to try and stop Tommy going out. Staying in the ravine would kill him, even Techno himself was struggling with how polluted the air was, and Tommy HATED being under house arrest. Techno could recall times as a kid when Phil would make Tommy stay inside, whether it was too cold to let him go out, or when Tommy was ill. He’d throw fits and tantrums, to a point where Phil would have to revert to the old tactics of cuddles and crying to calm him down, or playing Tommy’s favourite music on his kalimba to help Tommy stay asleep longer, and hopefully not wake up to his isolation. </p><p>He sparred with everyone a lot too. Tubbo required different training than he could provide, crossbows were fairly easy to use, but Tubbo was stronger with a regular bow, which Techno had only ever used as an aid to his sword. Tubbo would do basic swords training and then sit around whilst Tommy and Techno trained.<br/>
Tommy was a different type to train, he didn’t learn well with examples, so Techno would push him, fight him for real. They would spar and spar, and Tommy could definitely hold his own, but they’d stop training after Tommy had died too many times. Tommy wasn’t able to get used to the pain of dying like everyone else was, and so sparring with Techno, plus being killed by Ponk plus the occasional phantom pains were dragging down on Tommy, sometimes to a point where they’d train and then Tommy would collapse into Wilbur’s arms in a corner, falling into a coma-like sleep, almost as if Techno had knocked him out.</p><p>And Wilbur?<br/>
Wilbur didn’t train.<br/>
Wilbur would sit in the ravine, sometimes making it look prettier, sometimes building paths. He focused on what he could build, weapons for Techno and bows for Tubbo and helmets for Tommy. Buttons to put on the walls so Tubbo could shoot them from various perches around the ravine. He didn’t fight, didn’t train, didn’t go and get materials. </p><p>He fed the dog though, and kept L’Mandog happy when Techno was busy, which Techno guesses was okay. As long as Wilbur was alive.<br/>
(Let it never be said that Techno would care for a dog, let alone his brothers. That wasn’t the Technoblade way.)</p><p>It took a few weeks, but the ravine came together nicely. It worked, and they worked, and everything seemed okay.</p><p>Techno wasn’t aware that in the months to come, that would change, and that in the next week he’d nearly be the cause of it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Here’s Chapter 2 guys. Your meat until I get Chapter 20 written. I hope you’re enjoying so far.</p><p>- Cairo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. 3) A Break While We Travel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sapnap's been missing the Dream Team, so when Dream offers a chance to get out on a trip for a while, he takes it, and even gets to do some server maintenance!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sapnap was a simple man. He liked his friends, he like to fight, and he liked fire. <br/>Recently, Sap was missing one of those.</p><p>Dream had fucked off to a cabin in the middle of god-knows where, and only George knew how to reach it. George himself hadn’t been on the server much, apparently he’d had to sort out some problems on his home server.</p><p>Sapnap thought that maybe the fighting and fire was enough, but no, it never was.</p><p>So when Dream offered Sap and George a chance to just travel a few thousand blocks and explore, he took it without hesitation.<br/>And now that was what they were doing.</p><p>“Sap you slow idiot!”<br/>“Oh fuck off George!”</p><p>They’d taken the nether, travelled a few thousand blocks across the nether roof, and ended up in a desert, where they were now trying to traverse. Unfortunately, Sap had not brought sand-shoes, opting instead for hiking boots, expecting to end up in mountains or a swamp or SOMETHING.</p><p>“I think there’s a village over here!”<br/>“Where?”<br/>“There! Look! There’s a few trees as well.”<br/>“Dream, I cannot tell the difference between the trees and the sand. Is there anything more defining than a yellow tree in a yellow sand Biome?”<br/>“Just trust me!”</p><p>Sapnap reaches the top of the sand dune, standing beside the other two to see that Dream’s telling the truth. There’s a village ahead, and it’s a fairly small one. If it hadn’t been for the tall tree beside it, they probably would have missed it.</p><p>“We heading there then?”<br/>“Yeah, might have some good loot.”<br/>“Guys, I literally cannot see what you’re talking about.”<br/>“Not my fault.”</p><p>With that Sap shoves them both down the other side of the dune, and begins sprinting towards the village.</p><p>“LAST ONE THERE REPLACES MY SWORD!”<br/>“SHIT.”</p><p>Sap cackles, changing into a Naruto run and cackling as it actually does speed him up, hearing Dream yell a simple “Loser!” At him. It doesn’t matter, Sap will win anyway.</p><p>That’s what he thinks anyway, until he actually reaches the village.</p><p>“Hah! I win! George, you’ve gotta replace Sap’s sword now.”<br/>“Dreaaaaaaam.”<br/>“Guys, I think someone’s been here.”</p><p>Sap points to the tree they’d seen from the dune. Beside it is a small patch of wheat, fully grown. It’s the best wheat he’s seen, if you ignore the rotted ones, though he supposes that’s probably why they’re growing so well. It’s not villager made, lacking the structure and routine of the ones closer to the village. There’s a trapdoor the other side of the tree, though when Sap digs around it, it seems to be closed up, like whoever originally dug it filled it back in. </p><p>“Aw man, you think the loot’s gone?”<br/>“We might as well check, I can’t think of why anyone would come all the way out here. I thought these were unexplored chunks.”<br/>“You think maybe it’s been a while since they were here? Maybe the villagers filled the chests back up.”<br/>“Maybe George, but I’m grabbin’ this wheat first, look at it!”</p><p>Sap swings his sword through the wheat and grabs a bunch, tying it into a bundle and throwing it in the rucksack he’s brought to access his inventory. He would have just used his pockets like normal, but he didn’t think shoving things like the wheat he’s just grabbed into his pockets would be fun. </p><p>He swings to meet the next batch, and his sword is met from resistance, but not from the tree, from something else.</p><p>“Dude, look at this.”<br/>“What the fuck?”</p><p>Sapnap’s hit a large, curling plant, that must have blended into the wheat. There are little leaves coming off here and there, but the two main seem to be stretching up to the sun, wilting. </p><p>“That’s not coded in.”<br/>“You sure Dream? You didn’t add some secret mod you haven’t told us about to make you stronger?”<br/>“No. I don’t know what this is. My comm won’t tell me either. But it has a life? It’s on 4 hearts at the moment.”</p><p>There’s a small crunch, and the two leaves on the top of the plant wilt and die, before growing back again a few seconds later at an oddly fast speed. </p><p>If George or Sapnap had had their communicators out, or Dream’s was on the server chat, they would have noticed the message that read “TommyInnit was slain by Technoblade” as the leaf wilted, but as is the case with many things, the timing was off, and this wasn’t noticed by the three men. </p><p>“That’s fuckin’ weird.”<br/>“No kidding, it’s apparently got full hearts now.”<br/>“Some kinda Phoenix plant?”<br/>“That something you read about George?”<br/>“Not my fault I can’t tell targets from their environment and therefore was left to tie knots and read books.”<br/>“Fair.”<br/>“Thing is, I really, really wanna destroy it.”<br/>“What?”</p><p>Sapnap wasn’t lying. Everything in his body except his rationality wanted to destroy the plant. It was explaining the most efficient ways to do it, ways to make sure it was fully gone.</p><p>“Well, George, you know how our hunter instincts get bad, and really violent? When they start explaining how to properly kill people?”<br/>“Oh, like how mine tell me what potions to use for the best kill?”<br/>“Yeah, it’s like that, except I apparently know how to kill a plant?”<br/>“Why would you need to know how to kill a plant?”<br/>“I don’t know? I don’t even remember learning this.”</p><p>Dream paused for a moment, letting the two carry out their conversation. To be truthful, Dream had no idea what they were taking about. Dream had been their first real assignment, they were supposed to hunt him down and capture him for breeding and selling, but they’d failed to do so after making friends with him instead.<br/>Dream knew their instincts were different to his. Whereas Dream’s kicked in when he became adrenalized, theirs built up, and if they didn’t give in, they’d go on killing rampages when it got too much. It’s why he’d begun the manhunts. He could use his affinity for speed and strategy as something for them to hunt when their instincts wanted them to. Illumina, another speed gifted like him, who was the reason Dream existed, had run some too, when Dream got busy (which wasn’t often) or didn’t have the energy (which had only happened once).</p><p>“Kill it then.”<br/>“What?”<br/>“Kill it. It’s not like it’s doing anything. There’s no reason, and I have to get rid of it anyway if it’s an unknown entity. You might as well do it if you know how to efficiently.”</p><p>And so Sapnap did. Swapping to an axe, he drew it back and slammed it into the base of the plant, using the hold to pull it out of the ground, and throw it aside, before digging out the mud, pulling out the roots, spending a good ten minutes. It would grow back if not. He could have burned it, but he’d pulled the plant out, the fire wouldn’t spread anymore.</p><p>After pulling out the roots, he turned back to the main plant, once again swinging his axe into the cut, splitting it apart, and then cutting through the middle, destroying the inner workings. Placing a water source, he drowned the plant, and watched as the plant dissolved and flickered away into ash and then nothing.</p><p>“That took you a while.”<br/>“Yeah, gotta get rid of every piece. It’s unlikely it could grow back on some of the smaller roots I pulled out, and it definitely won’t now it’s dissolved, but I didn’t want to risk it. I don’t understand how I know this information, and I’d rather be safe than sorry.”<br/>“Well, at least it’s gone now.”<br/>“Yeah.”</p><p>If the three of them had asked around about the plant when they returned home, they wouldn’t have gotten an answer from anyone, but if they’d asked about weird happenings around that time, they would have learned that Tommy woke up from where he was collapsed in Wilbur’s arms in the corner, screaming like he’d been shot. Would have learned that Tommy sprinted out of the ravine, Techno close on his tail, ripping his helmet and hat off when he was finally safe, as pain wracked his body, hoping to god that maybe with the sun and fresh air out here his leaves could survive, and he’d stop this pain-</p><p>This pain that, if Tommy had thought about it, he’d only felt once before.</p><p>But Tommy didn’t think.<br/>Dream, George and Sapnap didn’t ask.<br/>And as is the tragedy of miscommunication, <br/>Problems occur.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, Chapter 20's been written, which means Upload time! You'll be getting chapters 3 &amp; 4 today, and I've decided to work on a four chapter basis. For every four chapters I write, you get two uploaded, so your next upload is when I've written Chapter 24! Happy reading guys, gays and otherwise. - Cairo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. 4) The Water Incident</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hey remember the stream where Tubbo, Techno and Wilbur locked Tommy in a wall? </p><p>What if I added some *danger* to make it spicy?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The work was going well.</p><p>It had been a few weeks since Tommy’s exile, and about one week since him waking up, screaming in pain. Neither he, nor Techno could figure out why it had happened, nor why it had been so painful. However, it did mean that Techno now went everywhere with him, and for that, Tommy was secretly thankful. </p><p>The problem, was that after about a week, things died down, and the gang did two things:<br/>A- Stop treating Tommy like Glass, which was nice<br/>B- Start teasing him instead.</p><p>Now, teasing Tommy is a pretty normal thing, but this was… a problem.</p><p>It was a little while after Tommy had been a little shit, he would admit that. He’d been trying to decorate the ravine and found some diamond blocks. After finding out they were Wilbur’s, of course he’d messed around a little! Wouldn’t anyone?<br/>The thing was, Wilbur got fairly pissed, so Tommy went and made his own room. It wasn’t too big at first, but redstone got placed wrong, and pistons fired and-</p><p>“AHHHHHH FUCK WILBUR HELP.”</p><p>Silence.</p><p>“WILBURRRRRRR”</p><p>And then laughing.<br/>Shit.</p><p>“WILBURRRR HELP ME.”</p><p>Shit. Fuck. Fuck. Fuckfuckfuck nonononono problem holy fuck.</p><p>“WILBUR HELP!”</p><p>His throat was hoarse, why was it hoarse already?<br/>Wilbur is laughing just laugh in panic laughinpanic don’t let him know how scared you are holy fuck.</p><p>“Wilbur I actually need your help please I actually need your help please.”</p><p>Wilbur just stands there, clapping his hands, laughing.</p><p>“Help I don’t know what happened! I don’t know how I’ve done this Wilbur. Destroy it, destroy it! The redstone blocks have screwed me over! They’ve screwed me over.”</p><p>Wilbur starts to mine the blocks, thank Watcher, and Tommy calms down a little.<br/>Then Wilbur starts to block him in again, with cobblestone this time.</p><p>“Wilbur help me! Help me!”</p><p>Tubbo’s laughing too. He can hear it. It’s getting muffled, but he can hear it. Tommy trapped in a small, dark room and they’re laughing.</p><p>“Tubbo leave him be.”<br/>“Long live the king.”</p><p>Techno’s voice cuts through and it comforts him for a moment until he realizes Techno isn’t trying to help. He can tell they’re right there but they’re just laughing.</p><p>“Wilburwilburwilbur no let me out letmeout please please. I have extreme claustrophobia Tubbo tubbotubbbotubbotubbo please please let me out.”</p><p>Tommy struggles for breath. The redstone might have powered the pistons but it’s wearing down and it’s crushing on him, on his lungs. He can’t breathe oh god he can’t breathe.</p><p>Tommy starts rambling. Reddit, let’s talk about Reddit. Reddit calms him down. Reddit’s where he goes to get out of this server when he can’t actually leave oh fuck oh watcher.</p><p>“Can you please let me out Techno?”<br/>“Where is he?”<br/>“No let me out! Let me out! I hear your guys’ steps!”</p><p>Tubbo is mining the blocks thank Watcher let this bit be over it’s not a bit it hurts oh god it hurts please stop please just end this.</p><p>“Tubbo leave him, Tubbo leave him. Show Techno then leave.”<br/>“No wait.”</p><p>Tubbo’s stopping. For a second Tommy’s hope soars. Tubbo knows how he gets, he’s told Tubbo how it scares him. It’s fine.</p><p>“I have an idea! Now he can’t breathe!”</p><p>The water fills the small space Tommy is in, and Tommy doesn’t think he’s ever felt worse fear than he does right now. They block it off, shut him in, and the water raises higher, barely below his eyes. He’s struggling for breath please stop.</p><p>“Now I think it’s a good time to discuss my pay, I was thinking about a raise.”</p><p>Tommy’s heart plummets, if it can even do that whilst he’s lying down. If even Techno can’t see the problem, there’s no hope. </p><p>In that moment, Tommy wants nothing more than to faint.</p><p>He wants to black out. He wants it to be over.<br/>Then he tries to take a breath and takes in water instead.<br/>Then he realizes that if he blacks out, he dies.<br/>Then all he can feel is fear.</p><p>Don’t panic Tommy. You’ll waste your breath. You have to hold on to consciousness. <br/>But he’s so worn out.<br/>And it’s not like he can do anything. <br/>Wouldn’t it just be easier to..<br/>NO TOMMY.<br/>He’s going to die.<br/>He can’t do that.<br/>The water will fill his lungs<br/>But he’s going to be asleep when that happens, <br/>And isn’t he so tired?<br/>Maybe a few seconds is okay.</p><p>But maybe it’s not a few seconds.</p><p>Maybe it’s 15 minutes.<br/>Maybe Tommy is lucky that he took in the water so, so slowly.<br/>Maybe he’s lucky Dream hates him.</p><p>[Dream]: Anyone seen Tommy? I haven’t heard from him in a while. Or seen his death message for that matter.<br/>[Dream]: You guys bully him too hard?<br/>[Dream]: Even I haven’t bullied him into silence. He’d usually have responded by now.<br/>[Technoblade]: How many hearts is Tommy on?<br/>[Dream]: Three, why?<br/>[Technoblade]: Shit.</p><p>Tommy wakes up to pain in his chest and his brother knelt over him.<br/>Tommy wakes up and clocks everything that’s just happened. Just like Jschlatt used to say.<br/>Tommy pushes his brother aside and runs. Sprints away and up the stairs, grabbing a bag from inside the dirt mound, pushing his way out the door and through the trees, texting someone, running to a place he knows is safe.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Who do you think Tommy's running to? We're gonna have a few angst/fluff chapters because I can.</p><p>-</p><p>Hehehehehhehhehehehehehe these next chapters will be a bit of canon divergent character building so I hope you like them, because it's my first big bit of canon plot divergence. Happy Reading! - Cairo]</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. 5) A Place called 'home'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tommy runs to the one place he knows is safe in this entire server. Here's to a week of feeling a little better than he has been recently.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>[TommyInnit]: Niki, If it’s not too much trouble, can we go home for a while? I’m really struggling right now.<br/>[Nihachu]: Of course Tommy. &lt;3 Do you know how long we’ll be staying so I can stock up the bakery?<br/>[TommyInnit]: I can’t leave for too long, Wilbur’ll get mad. Maybe 4-5 days?<br/>[Nihachu]: Okay, I’ll be there in a bit Toms. &lt;3</p><p>Niki did as promised, stocking up her bakery, and giving Eret a visit to tell him not to worry about where she was and that she was safe from the arms of Schlatt, before packing what was known on the server as her 'work bag' and heading out to where home was. </p><p>She arrived as night began to fall, coming in through the side door and petting Henry as she passed, dropping her bag by the side of Tommy's bed and moving out to the bench, where Tommy was sat. The bag he always brought, an endless one his father had given to him, at his side on the floor. His helmet was held in his hands, the winds gently blowing his hair, and if it wasn't for the shaking leg Niki could have assumed he was at peace. </p><p>She gently sat down next to him, and rested a hand on his knee. He'd return to her when he was ready. </p><p>Niki used this time to take a look at the view from here. Tommy had really chosen a gorgeous place to build this second house, their home, and despite how people did know this house existed, no-one ever expected him to come here when he left for long periods of time, and no-one ever intruded on them. </p><p>It helped that they organized these in private messages.</p><p>He didn't spend too long in his head, and returned blinking gently, as if she'd woken him from sleep. When he opened his mouth to speak, only a small sob came out, which quickly turned into more, and she hugged him close to her, understanding the pain that followed vulnerability. She was one of only three people that had seen him so broken, Phil and Tubbo being the other two, and she felt privileged to be trusted with such a raw side of Tommy that was so rarely seen. </p><p>"Hard day Toms?"<br/>"Gods Niki, I nearly died today." </p><p>She held him a little tighter, and felt his body deflate against her as he let out a breath she hadn't realized he'd taken. She hadn't even realized there was more embrace to lean into but somehow Tommy did it, somehow managing to fit his tall, lanky frame into the small area that was her linked arms. She rested her chin atop his head, and let him try to catch his breath as more sobs left him. </p><p>"Toms, forgive me if this is insensitive, but aren't you dying all the time?"<br/>"Not this time Niek. This was voiding."</p><p>He said the words like this wasn't a surprise, like he expected this to happen. Like voiding was a very common risk for him, though he'd never expected to come this close to it. </p><p>"Niek, you know how what happens here stays here?"<br/>"Of course Toms, what's up?"<br/>"I've been wanting to tell you this for a while. There's a lot of things I've wanted to tell everyone but, with how everything is, I think I need to tell you this. It felt wrong to hide it, I mean, not even Wilbur knows, but it's just, not really safe, never has been."<br/>"Oh?"</p><p>"I'm this thing called a Lemon person, a plant/human hybrid, although I'm a gifted as well, which sucks because, it's even more pressure you know?"</p><p>Tommy did a pair of dejected jazz hands, ones that reminded Niki of what Wilbur used to do when they were kids, back when her mother would drop her off at the village nursery, and Phil would fly in, dropping off Techno and Wilbur before flying off with a tiny Tommy-toddler in his arms. </p><p>How little she knew about what those kids would grow to become. </p><p>"I have this thing? It's called a base plant, and it has to be planted in the world I spend the most time in. Without it, the next time I die... It's over."</p><p>He stood himself up then, leaning over the railing ahead of them, looking out over the sea. In that moment he looked a lot more his age. Nearly an adult, but carrying burdens from a young age. The way he was standing reminded her of Jschlatt back before this SMP, when he just chilled with everyone. The rolled up sleeves didn't help to prevent this memory either. It was an easier time then. </p><p>She did miss when things were easier, she couldn't lie about that, but this server had brought community. The stakes were only high on-server. The fights ran deep, and the feelings still carried off server, but they were muted, and understanding that you can't ruin the time with others because of your own server.</p><p>Niki thought then of the legend of where everyone came from. There had once been a server called Earth, and it was the only server, everyone was on it 24/7, however it fell into a war and it tore everyone apart. The decision was with the next update that servers could be made, and admins were introduced and a choice was made then and there, that wars would be kept to the server they started and its inhabitants only. People seemed to enjoy it, wars never got too much, just seemed like fun. Niki herself had German blood, apparently they had started the problems back then, and sometimes she questioned how a terrible place had made her, and how she managed to stay so kind.</p><p>She heard there'd been a server that was a smaller replica, made for fun, though she'd never checked these rumours.</p><p>She was worried that this server didn't know what was too much.</p><p>"You good there Niki? You zoned out on me for a moment there."<br/>"Yeah, I'm here sorry. Is there anyone else that knows?"<br/>"Techno, Phil, Scott, Hypixel and now you, I think."<br/>"You think?"<br/>"I think I told someone once but it didn't end well."<br/>"You forgot?"<br/>"Mhm. Somehow..."</p><p>He fell silent, and she left him be, to ponder.</p><p>"So not Wil?"<br/>"No, with... Everything." (Again he was hiding information, but she didn't mind. It seemed to be a lot for him to share even what he was.) "It's unsafe for him to know. I wish I could, and I know I can trust him, but every now and then he does something and I- Did you see the recording Techno sent the other night? From the 'Among Us' game? I know he didn't mean it, but the threats, enjoying my death, it really scared me. As much as I love him, and I know he's family..."<br/>"Sometimes it's hard to believe you can trust them."<br/>"Yeah. These wars have made him hard, and sometimes I worry if I'll ever see a slither of the brother I used to know. We've all changed, but I was always on the frontlines and even I'm better off. Heck, I get more shit from EVERYONE and I'm better off."</p><p>He pushed a hand through his hair, and she could see his face better. There was fear, not only for himself, but his brothers too. Niki recalled his messages, and that Wilbur would be mad if Tommy was gone too long.<br/>Not worried, mad.<br/>She made a mental note to check on Wilbur when she got the chance. </p><p>"Toms, are those leaves on your head?"</p><p>He turned and smiled at her, back and arms against the railing, his leaves stretching up to meet the now dark sky as if they could hear her, and were reacting to being noticed. </p><p>"Yeah, that's my connection to my base plant."<br/>"They seem a little frail."<br/>"They're a bit worse than usual. The ravine air is kinda suffocating, and after what they've just been through-"</p><p>A gentle breath.</p><p>"You comfortable with telling me what happened Toms?"<br/>"Yeah, hold on."</p><p>He wandered himself into the house, and she heard the sound of the water in their cauldron sloshing, and Tommy came out with a small cup of water, placing it on the small table before them, he sat back on the bench.</p><p>"So, I've been under watch for a little while. I spar with Techno, but I don't train by example. So he just fights, and we fight, and we see how long I can survive myself. The after we've been around a few times, and he's killed me a few times, it wears me out. When one of my leaves die, I feel it, and it causes me pain, so when I die, well leaves die don't they? 'Cept it's so painful when they do. Death hurts, and it wears me out."<br/>"Okay that makes sense."<br/>"Well, when it wears me out I usually fall asleep, which I usually do next to Wilbur. Thing is, the other night, after I collapsed, I woke up in pain and screaming. I sprinted out, and basically collapsed to the floor."<br/>"Oh god!"<br/>"Techno raced after me, and was basically the one taking care of me that whole night. He'd never admit it, but Techno's worried about me, but he basically has stayed with me this whole time."<br/>"Toms..."<br/>"But today, I was mucking about with some of the diamond blocks, like, putting them around the ravine 'n stuff, putting them on the walls 'n shit, and Wilbur got pretty mad. So I go dig myself a room, and it's not so bad, but I put these pistons down, and some redstone actives? And I get trapped in it." </p><p>His hands shake a little, and he reaches over and holds Niki's to steady himself. It's something he does a fair amount, and she doesn't mind it, liking the way he finds her grounding. </p><p>"Thing is, I hate small spaces if I'm trapped in them. The war has made me learn to cope with small spaces anyway but y'know? I don't really get a choice! But at least I know how to get out. When you have some pistons firing and you're trapped and then you've pissed off your brother so even though you're crying he tells you that you deserve to stay in there-"<br/>"Breathe Tommy, come on, match mine."</p><p>Niki speeds up her breathing to match his, then slowly levels hers out so he'll copy her, and she lets him sit as she brings him down to her. </p><p>"Tell it to me like it's a story, try not to be the main character, be the narrator."<br/>"Okay well, Wilbur blocks me in, and that's okay you know? It's scary, but maybe I'll faint and I'll be over it?"</p><p>Niki's heart breaks in that moment. The best option Tommy hoped for wasn't to be released, but to faint. Not to be let out by his friends and family, but instead to just lose consciousness and wait for it to be over.</p><p>"And, when I'm in the wall, Tubbo opens it up and fills it up with water. This is the problem."</p><p>Tommy reaches forwards, and grabs the cup of water upon the table, before making Niki jump a little.</p><p>"Tommy, is that a leaf attached to your finger?" <br/>"Yeah. I can grow these, and flowers."<br/>"That's incredible Tommy! You can just make life out of anywhere!"<br/>"I-, I never thought about it like that. I'm sorry about this then."</p><p>Tommy takes the leaf, and dunks it in the water fully submerging it, and he lets out a low hiss as it wilts and crumbles away.</p><p>"That's what a cup of water does to my leaves, and I was in a room full of water."</p><p>Niki felt all her breath leave her, as if she'd been hit front on with a minecart. </p><p>"Tommy. You're not telling me that... How did you get out?"<br/>"Well, I tried to keep my head above the water, but I didn't last long enough and I blacked out."<br/>"Toms-"<br/>"Techno just watched them. Threw in a few of his own jokes too."<br/>"Oh- God please tell me they-"<br/>"Turns out they only remembered because Dream put something in chat about how it had been ages without seeing my name in chat, and Techno then realized I'd gone silent, and dug me out of the wall about to die."</p><p>Tommy didn't seem to feel anything as he said the words. He wasn't shaking anymore, eyes didn't seem to hold any tears, and Niki wondered if Techno had ever pulled something like that before, perhaps in an earlier server. Caused something that had hurt Tommy this bad. It was clear that Tommy was close to Techno, perhaps Techno had been one of the first to know, but Niki couldn't help questioning if this wasn't the first time. Tommy had watched Eret hurt them, Jschlatt come back to the server to tear his home apart, Dream steal the discs Tommy seemed so protective of, and she had a sinking feeling that Tommy had become used to this kind of treatment. </p><p>"Techno resuscitated me, chest compression luckily was all I needed, but I woke up, grabbed my bag and ran."<br/>"You always keep it packed?"<br/>"Always."</p><p>She didn't say any words then. Couldn't find the heart to. Instead she gently takes the cup from Tommy's hands and pulls him towards her, hugging him to his side, singing a lullaby her mother had taught her in the hope she could provide him comfort after-</p><p>If he falls asleep, and there are a few tear spots on her jumper, well, no-one's around.<br/>And if she tucks him into bed like he's young, gently brushing through his hair, humming that lullaby whilst she sits in the bed she brought, placed alongside his so if he needs her in the night she's there, no-one has to know.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You get another upload so soon? I must be insane! That or I'm writing some interesting chapters. :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. 6) Bees, Bread and Vlog Guns.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Day 3: Cavetown music and cookies solve everything.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>[Often I am upset]</p><p>"Tommy! Cookies are done!"</p><p>Cavetown songs gently filled the background wafting through the house alongside the smell of the baked goods and Niki's call, reaching Tommy who was sat outside by the entrance to the mine, petting Henry. </p><p>"Ready to decorate or just out of the oven?"<br/>"Ready to decorate, I know you wouldn't be too happy if I called you and you couldn't even do anything."<br/>"Hah, fair."</p><p>It was the third day at home, Monday being the 'Heavy Talk' and Tuesday being the 'We cry and then get our shit together' day, and now Wednesday 'Chill Day.' The plan was to stay home for the week, then go home on Saturday evening. </p><p>“Tommy, I wanted to ask you about something you said on Monday. You said you were a gifted?”<br/>“Yeah.”<br/>“How do you know?”<br/>“My Mother. She used to tell me I was a ‘gifted child’ and that I knew people. I lost her when I was young to a disease that wrecked our village. I didn’t learn how literal she was until Phil adopted me.”<br/>“How did Phil adopt you?”<br/>“Well, I had to run from my village when I was three, to avoid the disease, and I raised myself ‘til I was four. Techno found me server hopping one day and brought me back to Phil. I used to scream if he tried to take my helmet off, so he made me one of those tie-under-the-chin hats to wear. I asked him about this when I was five.”</p><p>Tommy hopped about for a moment, lifting his ankle up and brushing the anklet that she and Tubbo had gotten him aside to show Niki a small mark, one that could be mistaken for a skin blemish had it not been such a complex-looking symbol.</p><p>“This marks me out as a gifted. What of, I don't know."</p><p>Niki knew a fair amount of gifted. There were a few of them on the server, and she had to admit she had a rather powerful social bubble. Dream was one of them, and now Tommy was another.</p><p>"Phil flipped his shit when he found out. Spent the day calling random people, Scott visited us, I think?"<br/>"That would make sense. Your father seems to go to Scott for everything."<br/>"Not entirely sure why he does that, I'll be honest."</p><p>Tommy reached across Niki, to where she had put the cookies on the table he'd built a little earlier, and grabbed a 'cookie blob' he had made and popped it in hi mouth. (The purpose of a cookie blob was to just make a lump so that it couldn't be decorated and you could just eat it immediately.) She laughed, and handed him a piping tube instead, grabbing one of her own to decorate a flower cookie.</p><p>"Do you remember much of your parents?"<br/>"Only a bit, things like dancing in circles in the garden. Though I have this book with more information, but it's..."<br/>"Enderchest?"<br/>"No, I couldn't reach one when I joined the server, and I didn't want to risk anything. It's buried near Manburg."<br/>"We could go and get it if you like?"<br/>"I doubt that I'm afraid."<br/>"Oh, yeah."</p><p>Tommy paused for a moment, and then a mischievous glint seemed to flicker in his eye.</p><p>"If I remember correctly..."</p><p>He crossed to his satchel in the corner, and rummaged around before pulling out a jar of enderpearls, and a stack of obsidian.</p><p>"If we could just get some blaze rods, we might be able to get an enderchest for you, one for Pogtopia, and then get my book back and safely away. That is, if you'll take it?"<br/>"I-"<br/>"No it's okay if you don't I just-"</p><p>She cut him off with a hug instead.</p><p>“Toms, I’d love to take care of it for you. That fact that you’d trust me with such a thing-“<br/>“Of course Niki! I mean come on! How many times have we done this?”</p><p>He gestured to the doorframe, that in which had 7 marks carved into it, and an eighth would be when they left. 5 were Tommy’s, 3 were Niki’s (including the trip the made now.) Each represented a time the two of them had come here for a week, each one representing a time they’d taken a break. </p><p>“You honestly think I’d trust anyone else with it? Technoblade is on this server and even HE doesn’t know where I keep it.”</p><p>She took a breath to steel herself (and maybe blink the tears away from her eyes) and tried to show the determination she felt.</p><p>“We start tomorrow then?”</p><p>He smiled. She wondered how often he did that, and meant it.</p><p>“We start tomorrow.”</p><p>[but strangely he feels at home in this place]</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Congratulations! You've unlocked a memory log! </p><p>Log 1: The Hypixel Jeweler's.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. 7) Into Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I thought I’d give you guys four more chapters for free, because I’ve hit a little bit of burnout with school starting back up. We all need a release right now. So I’m gonna upload chapters 7-10. </p><p>This is the last Chapter with a reasonable title. Enjoy it while it lasts.</p><p>~~~~</p><p>Fundy nearly fucks up what was a fun expedition.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Your armour okay Niki? I know you don’t wear it too often. I can adjust any straps if you need.”<br/>“Nah I’m okay Tommy. I can’t believe you keep this down here.”<br/>“It’s not much, but I need some kind of backup. I try not to use it, because it’s a tad weird if I get blown up and then I suddenly have shit again, but for something like this, I think it’s okay.”<br/>“Not like anyone will see it anyway.”<br/>“True.”</p><p>The plan was simple. The two of them would enter the nether, through the portal Tommy had built in his ‘poo machine’, then walk approximately 500 blocks away before searching for a fortress in that direction. They were aiming to get about 15 blaze rods, so Niki could make potions and things, and Tommy could get the enderchests done. One for Niki, and one for Tommy to take back with him to Pogtopia. They had 4 fire resistance potions (splash ones to share) and were aiming to be out and back before the evening. </p><p>They were wearing dyed leather armour in black, in an aim to blend in more with the fortress, and had chosen a time when only Fundy, Techno and Wilbur were on the server.</p><p>“Tommy, I think my shoulder strap is a bit tight? I’m not sure if it has to be to stay on though.”<br/>“Hold on.”</p><p>After checking their armour, grabbing two bags (taking their main bags would be a pain and they didn’t want to suffer through trying to put blaze rods in their clothing pockets) and splashing the first potion, they went through the portal.</p><p>The initial nausea of dimension travel was always a bit much for Tommy, but he ignored it in favour of the task they had ahead of them. He hated the nether. The air was dry and hot, and he always felt dehydrated. It got worse the more skin he showed, so he was thankful he’d had the foresight to bring leggings and his longer-sleeved shirt when he packed clothes into his travel bag. </p><p>“You good?”<br/>“Yeah, you?”<br/>“Yeah, let’s just get moving.”</p><p>Talking in the nether wasn’t a smart idea unless you had either a strong person with you, or a large group, and really they had neither. So they marched in silence, using swords to carve words into netherrack, and hand symbols when they needed to move.</p><p>They’d made it through two warped forests, one crimson, and a basalt Biome before Tommy deemed it safe enough to begin searching. They worked on a simple basis; each person would travel 60 blocks in opposite directions. If neither of them found anything, they came back, walked another hundred, and then tried again. </p><p>It was hard and tiring work, but they did end up finding an unlooted fortress after three fails (and one with ‘Dream claims this land’ that Tommy scratched over and Niki drew a flower underneath.)</p><p>The problem with the server you see, is that they liked to be assholes.</p><p>The closest fortress was free game. The spawner stayed, and the loot was first-come first-serve. This rule did not apply to the others. If a fortress was looted, this meant whoever had been there had destroyed the spawner either for the XP (which happened every now and then) or just to be an ass (which happened a lot more.)</p><p>“You think we’ll find one here?”<br/>“We found diamonds in the chest, I think it should be okay.”<br/>“So 15 blaze rods.”<br/>“Yeahhhh.”<br/>“That’s a lot of fire.”<br/>“Yeahhhhhh that’s why we have potions.”<br/>“That’s dangerous for you.”<br/>“Yeahhhhhhhhh that’s why I tied my helmet onto my head.”<br/>“Tommy, your ‘yeah’s are getting considerably longer.”<br/>“Mhmmmmmmmm.”</p><p>A beat.</p><p>”You know? I don’t think I’ve ever been blaze hunting before.”<br/>“You haven’t? Dude it’s so much fun. It’s horrifyingly dangerous and the Nether sucks, but god is it fun you’re gonna love this! Come on!”</p><p>He doesn’t give Niki a chance to respond as he runs off down the hall, hearing only some sort of language being yelled after him and then the gentle tap of her footsteps following him. </p><p>Then, the blur of her overtaking him, rounding a corner, and giving a ‘woop!’</p><p>“How the fuck did you do that?”<br/>“I might not fight wars, but I still work out!”<br/>“Yeah but oh my god-“</p><p>Tommy slows himself to a jog, and then a walk. No use in wearing himself out too much is there.</p><p>“Found it Tommy!”<br/>“Yo really?”<br/>“Yeah, just a prob-AAA”</p><p>Tommy rounds the corner, spooking Niki, and making her fall over. </p><p>“TOMMY WHAT-“<br/>“Nick- oh my-“</p><p>There isn’t much time for conversation after that, as a blaze spawns and immediately attacks them, and Tommy has to drag Niki behind a pillar to avoid being shot with a <br/>“Fireball of fucking death.” (That was totally what Niki said not Tommy. Never.)</p><p>To be fair, it went well for them. Tommy was collecting the blaze rods, as he figured that if he died, very few would care, but if Niki died, there would probably be someone running to grab her stuff, and he wasn’t going to risk it. </p><p>Not that he told Niki this of course. He just let her enjoy fighting the blazes. </p><p>It went wrong, as these things usually do, when Niki picked up a blaze rod.</p><p>Nihachu has made the advancement [Into Fire]</p><p>Now, in a normal circumstance, this would be fine, people get advancements every day. But because Tommy only has the BEST luck, this was not fine.</p><p>[ItsFundy]: Oh, Niki you’re in the nether?</p><p>“Wait, shit, Niki do you think he’s here?”<br/>“I don’t know? How am I supposed to respond?”<br/>“I mean, normally. He can’t suspect anything’s different.”<br/>“God, yeah.”</p><p>[Nihachu]: Yeah! Trying to get some blaze powder for potions.<br/>[ItsFundy]: I’m trying to get some too, some asshole has been breaking my enderchest whenever I get a new one.</p><p>This drew a quiet laugh from Tommy, and she raised a quizzical eyebrow that reminded him so much of Phil. Maybe too much of Phil. He wasn’t too sure. It was something he’d only seen Scott and Phil do before, and he thought it kinda funny that those three all had that in common. </p><p>[ItsFundy]: Wait I think I see you lol.</p><p>“Niki, attack me.”<br/>“What?”<br/>“You whipping around to me is perfect now attack me! Push me behind the pillar.”<br/>“I-”<br/>“Just do it!”</p><p>She did as he asked, and he bit back the hiss that rose in his throat. He couldn’t have her getting emotional now.</p><p>“When Fundy asks, I was a Wither Skeleton you killed. You’re wearing black because you didn’t want to stain anything, and the armour wouldn’t melt.”<br/>“Tommy-“<br/>“Shush! He’s coming.”</p><p>She whips her head back round and Tommy digs himself into the ground. He’d warned her early, and now he digs out a small room for himself, three by three by three, breathing space. Then, just to cover the tracks, replacing the nether-brick above his head as the sound of armour clanking signals Fundy’s approach.</p><p>“Aw Niki, you hit yourself in the face with your ponytail there!”<br/>“Hah Yeah!”<br/>“Did something attack you there? I didn’t see anything.”<br/>“Yeah, caught a Wither Skeleton just before it hit me!”<br/>“Oh nice! Good job man! Any skulls?”<br/>“Nah.”<br/>“So you’ve been hunting blazes too?”<br/>“Yeah.”<br/>“This your first time as well?”<br/>“Yeah, I’ve just kinda left my rods on the floor though, only just picked them up.”<br/>“Oh dude! How many do you have?”<br/>“Only 5.”</p><p>Niki’s voice was doing the real-life equivalent of the ’😅’ emoji, and she fit the role perfectly.</p><p>“I have like 30 if you want some. How many were you aiming to get?”<br/>“15.”<br/>“Oh dude, you want my other ten?”<br/>“If you don’t mind?”</p><p>There was a sound of rustling, and some noises of Fundy struggling that made him smile.</p><p>“Here just use the bag.”<br/>“Oh damn, I didn’t think of that.”</p><p>There was more rustling, then the quiet crackling of the blaze rods. </p><p>“Here you go Niki!”<br/>“Oh, thank you!”<br/>“No worries! Oh, before I go, where have you been this week?”<br/>“Oh, I just- I haven’t been coping too well with everything at the moment, so I decided to take a break.”<br/>“Don’t worry Niki, but hey, I’m here if you need.”<br/>“Thank you Fundy.”<br/>“No worries Niki! See you later!”</p><p>Fundy’s armour began to clank again, and Tommy waited for Niki to say “I think it’s clear now, you can come out.” Before he dug out from the ground.</p><p>“Gods that was close Tommy, are you okay?”<br/>“Yeah, a slash across leather armour won’t kill me.”<br/>“Oh thank Watcher!”<br/>“Yeah, I only have a small slash on my arm. We can bandage that up in a bit.”<br/>“Oh-“<br/>“It’s okay! We have what we came for, now we can leave!”</p><p>[Nihachu]: Hey, I’m probably gonna head home for the time being.<br/>[ItsFundy]: Safe trip home Niki!</p><p>“Okay then.”</p><p>Niki smiles, and links her arm with Tommy’s, and they march back home with a weak smile on their face, so thankful that they managed to get through that one.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>School’s been a bit of a weigh-down recently, and I’m really struggling, so I thought I’d give you guys some chapters, free of charge. Reading how people are excited for the future makes me really happy.</p><p>I thought I should probably say now, the festival is not going to happen for a long time. The second piece of Canon divergence is currently planned to 40 chapters. (24 of which I’ve written)</p><p>Timeline-wise, the festival will happen on 16/11/21 because of a bit of ✨fun✨ In between. </p><p>Thank you for sticking with me so far! - Cairo. &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. 8) Maybe this was a bad idea</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Get the book.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The plan was simple. </p><p>Enter Manburg, get to the docks, get the book, get out.</p><p>That was simple enough right?</p><p>Add to the plan.</p><p>Enter Manburg<br/>Avoid Quackity and Jschlatt.<br/>Get to the docks.<br/>Avoid Fundy, who was currently spending the day in Niki's bakery, according to Tubbo.<br/>Somehow get Tommy through that too.<br/>Get the book, which is 30 blocks underground, without causing a scene.<br/>Get out.</p><p>Not as easy.</p><p>Add the fact that everyone they've mentioned is hunting Tommy with a need for blood.</p><p>Not so easy at all.</p><p>Step 1) Enter Manburg.</p><p>This step was fairly easy. They were coming from the left (When entering from the direction of Tommy's house) so there weren't too many people. They just had to ensure they entered when the back of the dictator was turned. </p><p>Step 1) COMPLETE<br/>Step 2) COMPLETE</p><p>Step 3) Get to the docks</p><p>This was only slightly harder. Fundy, being a fox hybrid, was more fine-tuned to their footsteps, and they had to cross sand, past the bakery, where he was sat in the porch area, writing. Luckily, there seemed to be an abundance of chickens about, and so they could get by by simply walking, and stopping every now and then.</p><p>Step 3) COMPLETE<br/>Step 4) COMPLETE<br/>Step 5) COMPLETE</p><p>Step 6) Get the book</p><p>Here was the problem.</p><p>"So you're saying it's under here, 30 blocks down, in a little room you've dug out?"<br/>"Yes."<br/>"And we've gotta get down there without causing a scene."<br/>"Yeah."<br/>"Damn."<br/>"Fuck indeed."<br/>"That's not what I said."<br/>"But you thought it."<br/>"Either way, we've got some work to do."</p><p>The digging itself was easy. <br/>The problem was Quackity and Jschlatt coming over the hill.</p><p>They'd managed to dig into the room, and Tommy had been very, very happy with that. He hadn't been loud, of course not, but he had jumped about a bit. That's when he'd heard a "Nikiiiiiii!!!!!!!" and placed the cobblestone back, hoping to god Niki was replacing the sand on top as Quackity approached. </p><p>"NIKII! Haven't seen ya for a while! Where ya been? We came to get taxes from a but you were nowhere to be found, where ya been?"<br/>"I've been on a short holiday. Got in a boat and started from scratch."<br/>"Ah well, I'll be swinging by to tax you on Monday. It'll be doubled."<br/>"Of course."</p><p>Now, the problem with Cobblestone is that it is cobbled stone. Disjointed, unconnected pieces stacked so they become unmovable.</p><p>Unmoveable isn't a problem. Disjointed is.</p><p>He can tell Niki's put sand back, because it's slowly trickling into the room, and he doesn't notice until he looks up from flicking through his old book and notices the small mound before him. </p><p>He digs through the wall, but it's the wrong side and more sand gushes in. This sand is wet, so he's dug towards the sea, but it begins to form a cement.</p><p>He wastes no time in putting the book in his pocket, the sand can't touch it in there. </p><p>The room is filled halfway up his calf, so he puts andesite where he's dug to the side, stemming the flow. The only sand is coming through the top, and he can hear Niki shuffle her feet as she speaks with the pair above him, kicking more sand to cover the hole that's likely forming above him.  </p><p>"That sounds like a nice holiday Niki. But uh, what are you doing out here?"<br/>"Oh! I was digging a hole."<br/>"A hole huh?"<br/>"Yeah, I bumped into  a cave though, and I think it's sucking the sand through the cobblestone."<br/>"well, you better get that fixed, I don't want any blemishes on our perfect land."<br/>"Of course Schlatt."<br/>"Goodbye Niki." </p><p>[Nihachu]: Tommy, are you okay?<br/>[TommyInnit]: Niki the sand is halfway up my thighs can we please get out?<br/>[Nihachu]: Yeah, just let me check Schlatt and Quackity are gone.<br/>[Nihachu]: Okay they're gone let me dig you out. Let's get out of here.</p><p>The cobblestone opens, and Niki is laid down, reaching out to him.</p><p>He takes her arm, they fill the hole, and they sprint the fuck outta there.</p><p>Step 6) COMPLETE<br/>Step 7) COMPLETE</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter 8, nearly done with this bit of canon divergence, then you get a few fluff chapters as an apology. (I mean you don’t that’s like Chapter 11,12&amp;13 so y’know) But Yeah. 👍</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. 9) Damn it.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Short chapter, just Niki and Tommy talking before his return to Pogtopia.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They were back home now, having sprinted away from Manburg, and Tommy changing into clothes that weren't sand-filled. </p><p>They'd gotten the book out, and was Tommy was gently looking through the pages, flicking through the contents, until he paused for a second. </p><p>The page he'd stopped on was a small extract from the author named 'Salem' </p><p>"Today I was invited to the birthday of a young boy named Tommy. Due to a plague that the elders have informed me of, the fact that Tommy has reached two years old is a miracle for these people. His life may mean a hope for the survival of these people. His mother, who has spoken to me fleetingly, as she seems a rather shy woman, says that he's a gifted too. His father is a little more confident, and is usually seen speaking to the elders, but I think that Tommy is more attached to him. They're very alike, and usually he's wandering around with his hand in Tommy's."</p><p>Tommy smiles, and she leans into him, both getting a better look at the book, and giving him comfort. </p><p>"Your parents sound wonderful."<br/>"Hah, yeah. Sometimes I wonder how different I would be if I had been raised by them and not Phil. Lived the life of a traveller instead of the one I have now."<br/>"Do you think you'd like a life like that?"<br/>"I'm not really sure Neeks. I'm not a fan of losing things, I like things that stay. It's why I love the discs so much. They've always played the same song. I know every rise and tone change like I know the road here. I think that living like that, always travelling, moving, secretly living in fear as we're followed by hunters, I think it would destroy me."<br/>"Would you not want to live with your parents though?"<br/>"I think it would be worse honestly. I'd associate them with the travelling. There'd be so much pain every time I moved on, they'd have to fight me. I'd end up hating how they'd always make me move."<br/>"Do you think that you'd go back and change things now?"</p><p>He paused for a moment, and she wondered if she'd gone too far with her questions.</p><p>"You really know how to ask crackers don't you?"<br/>"Hah, sorry Toms."<br/>"No worry."<br/>"So?"<br/>"I, god I don't know."<br/>"You don't?"<br/>"I mean... I would love to have them around, but at the cost of losing everything I have now? Would I keep that knowledge? That I'd lost all those memories and friends and all my family? I don't think I could. Maybe if I'd been older when I lost them, maybe if I had more to remember of them than an extract in a book I would be more sure of my answer, maybe I even would go back and change things. I just don't think I know enough about them, I wouldn't want to risk everything I have now over the potential of them."<br/>"That's a... Really thought out answer."<br/>"It feels good to talk about it. It feels wrong, to not instantly jump at the chance to have them, but I think it's fair, how I feel."</p><p>The sun was setting in the distance, a gorgeous sight from their bench. They'd seen it a hundred times, and yet it was still just as time-stopping.</p><p>"And you're sure you want me to keep this safe for you? This was made before book duping, this is such a precious thing. Not just to the world, but to you as well."<br/>"There's no-one else I'd rather have it."<br/>"Is there anything else in this book that's really important?"<br/>"Yeah, one more thing."</p><p>Tommy placed the book on her lap, and began to flick to the back of the book.</p><p>"I was asked to leave, my presence here puts them in danger, and they are scared the disease will adapt and begin to attack me. They've asked me to leave for 10 years, as when lemonpeople leave their home tribes, this is the period of time before that person is allowed to return. I will do as they've asked, I refuse to betray the trust they've put in me, I'm only afraid that when I return, there will be no-one to return to."<br/>"Wow."<br/>"I have to find Salem before my death."<br/>"You do?"<br/>"She needs to know she still has someone to return to."</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>You've unlocked a Memory Log! Congratulations!<br/>Memory Log 2: An Antarctic visitor.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Another small memory log for you because this was a sweet idea I’ve had stuck in my head for a little while. I’ll have it posted either by this evening or tomorrow.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. 10) Hey one question: What the hell?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tommy returns to Pogtopia.</p><p>I don’t know how to write apologies.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>To say Tommy was scared to go back to Pogtopia was an understatement.</p><p>He barely even remembered what had happened, he only remembered running.<br/>Well, that and the overwhelming pain of what he guessed was the water Techno had forced from his lungs.</p><p>"You'll be okay Toms, you've seen the messages Techno has been sending you."<br/>It was true, he had.</p><p>[Technoblade]: Tommy? Where are you? Your bag's gone, are you okay?<br/>[Technoblade]: Tommy, night's fallen and you're still not back, you haven't passed out have you?<br/>[Technoblade]: Tommy, it's been two days, Tubbo's getting worried, and Wilbur's been screaming at walls. Please come back soon.<br/>[Technoblade]: Just, tell me when you'll be coming home.</p><p>[TommyInnit]: I'm coming home tomorrow morning.</p><p>"I'm just worried as to how they'll see me. If they'll try to do a big over-apology. I don't want that."<br/>"I know Toms, but this is your family. They'll know what you need."<br/>"Here's to hoping."<br/>"Well, I'm headed home. I'll see you around, okay Toms?"<br/>"Bye Neeks."</p><p>She hugged him tightly, and then ran down the hill to Manburg, as he began his journey through the trees.</p><p>Each step he took terrified him, and he couldn't stop looking over his shoulder with each footfall. A paranoid feeling overtook him as he got closer and closer to Pogtopia, afraid of what waited for him when he entered. </p><p>What he wasn't expecting was Techno to run at him, tackling him into a hug 20 meters from the ravine.</p><p>"Oh damn. Tommy are you okay? Please tell me you're okay."<br/>"I'm okay Techno, I'm fine. Better than normal really."<br/>"Oh thank Watcher. I was so fuckin' worried you'd passed out somewhere, that I hadn't gotten the water out of your lungs."<br/>"Techno I've been with Niki, I'm fine."<br/>"You've been with Niki? Oh thank fuck."<br/>"Yeah...."<br/>"Why do I feel like you've fucked up?"<br/>"Niki knows now, about the lemon thing."<br/>"Oh you haven't fucked up. That's possibly the best outcome from this situation. You're not dead, and the safest person on this server that managed to kill even me knows about your thing. Watcher, that's a brilliant outcome."</p><p>There's a shout and the sound of boots running over before Tommy and Techno are pulled into a sitting-up position by Wilbur, who drops onto his knees and hugs Tommy like he'd expected Tommy to be dead, though he supposed that he probably hadn't done anything to stop Wilbur from thinking that. </p><p>"Tubbo! He's okay!"<br/>"Tommy! Holy fuck! Man please don't pull shit like that again."<br/>"Only if you promise the same."<br/>"Yeah no shit man, I am so sorry."<br/>"I have claustrophobia and you really think the smart idea was to put water in a crammed space?"<br/>"I'm a fucking idiot."<br/>"Yeah, you are. Tubbo got de two braincell."<br/>"You wrongggggg. I got de one braincell and don't use all the time."<br/>"Braincell go Tubbo like da bee."<br/>"Braincell like da bee."</p><p>And if summoned, a small bee floated past, booping Wilbur's forehead as it went.</p><p>"You haven't died Tommy?"<br/>"Wilbur, how often have you been checking your comm?"<br/>"Fair enough."</p><p>There wasn’t really words to say, not to fix this. None of them knew the damage they’d nearly caused, the pain they’d nearly hit themselves with. But to Tommy, just knowing they’d being constantly worried made him feel loved.</p><p>The evening was spent by the four of them around a campfire a while away from Pogtopia, Wilbur singing soft songs into the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>There you go. That’s the small Niki arc over, and she’ll be a little more important as Chapters go on.</p><p>I hope these four chapters have brightened your day a little. :D</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. 11) I am once again average at best.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A few fluff chapters, no reason for you to get suspicious.</p><p>Techno and Tommy silent bonding time.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Techno had planned on bonding, this was not what Tommy had expected. </p><p>"You know how to till?"<br/>"Yeah, I used to plant carrots a fuck ton. People kept stealing them though, I did more planting than harvesting."<br/>"Good, you can help me with the potatoes."</p><p>Tommy had to admit, he understood why Techno had decided to pick up farming on Hypixel. At first, sure, Techno had hired 'minions' (not that Tommy would tell anyone, but Techno had become friends with them, and still sent them letters) but eventually Techno had worked alongside them in the fields, and had gotten Tommy to work with him more than once. </p><p>The practice, constant repetition was calming, and for a while Tommy worked with his brother in silence. There were a few yips and giggles from outside the room (probably Tubbo and L'Mandog) but for the most part it was quiet. Wilbur had gone for some wanders through the trees a lot more recently, ever since Tommy had run away to go home, and Tommy wondered if Wilbur wanted to escape like he had, get away for a little while. </p><p>"Tommy?"<br/>"Tommy."<br/>"Tommy!"</p><p>It took him a little while to figure out that Techno was talking to him.</p><p>"You've been farming for an hour. Your hands are bleeding. Let me bandage them before we carry on."</p><p>Techno's words drew Tommy out of his head, looking down to realise they were indeed bleeding. Techno had bandages too, though they looked like they'd been applied a while ago. Techno was silent as he left, going to grab the medical supplies, and Tommy relished in it. Silence was the main way Techno knew to comfort. Time mindlessly spent in someone else's presence, comforted not by their words but just them being there. </p><p>He also noticed how Techno had said 'before we carry on'. Tommy had been in need of this, thoughtless labour with no risk, and plenty of reward. Just to keep working in the company of his brother, to build back some of the trust that had been lost in the last week.</p><p>As for how they'd managed to farm for an hour in such a small space? Tommy had discovered what a composter was, to make bone meal, and Techno had been slaying an awful lot of mobs lately. It was simply grow potatoes, use some bone meal, let Tubbo's weird water thing work itself, and then plant again. </p><p>Techno returned quietly, heels clacking against the stone floor. Tommy looked up at his approach, and realised that Techno had changed into his more human-like state, instead of the piglin he'd been since his arrival to the server. He took Tommy's hands gently, wrapping the bandages around them with practice and ease.</p><p>You see, Techno’s hybrid traits weren’t exactly supposed to happen. His glitch happened at birth, servers not ready for the Watchers’ decisions to bring Techno into the world. Techno could change between an animorphic form, or a humanlike state, and he didn’t make a rarity of either, but the animal form seemed to be saved for fights, and the human form for casual use.</p><p>Techno had stayed in pig form since he’d joined the server, but he was human now. Had he changed while they’d been working on the potatoes? Tommy hadn’t noticed.</p><p>"You sure you wanna keep going?"<br/>"Yeah, I needed this. You getting comfortable?"<br/>"Yeah, plus it's only you here, Tubbo looks like he's headed back to Schlatt for a while."<br/>"He's probably safer there."<br/>"I agree. Water?"<br/>"Yes please."</p><p>Techno handed him a cup, gesturing towards the tap on the wall, and headed back to his farming, pulling a small white bandana out of his pocket, and tying it around his head before digging into the ground with his hoe once more.</p><p>Tommy grabbed his water, and joined him a few seconds later, moving his own bandana from his neck to his head.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>What? There’s no reason to be suspicious of these short fluffy chapters. You don’t need to worry. ;) - Cairo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. 12) My dog is drug free</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Who is speaking when is left generally ambiguous. You guess who you think is saying what.</p><p>My decision is at the end of the chapter.</p><p>Techno and Wilbur bonding time.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Wilbur, you haven't been making more drugs have you?"<br/>"No, no supplies."<br/>"Okay, cause L'Mandog has been hyper recently." </p><p>As if he could be summoned by the sound of his name, he came bounding over, nuzzling into Techno's bandaged hands, before turning to jump onto Wilbur, who found his vision obscured by the dog.</p><p>"He's getting big now."<br/>"Yeah he's grown oddly fast."<br/>"Reminds me of Tommy."<br/>"GOD that kid was gangly. Arms and legs way too long for him, small head for the longest time."<br/>"He was a fine sized toddler, basic kid, then he hits 14 and suddenly he's a spider human."<br/>"So we have Tommy, and we have dog Tommy."<br/>"Perfect."</p><p>It's nice, sat in this corner, and Techno can understand why Wilbur spends his time here, plucking at the strings of his guitar. </p><p>"Do you ever wish we hadn't grown up?"<br/>"That we'd stayed in the home realm with Dad?"<br/>"Yeah."<br/>"Sometimes, though we wouldn't have found Tommy."<br/>"You and Dad found him in Hypixel right?"<br/>"Yeah, found him server hopping. Just scrolling through chats, looking for IPs to put in. We took him in then."</p><p>Tommy, so young. Barely three years old, and already knew how to server hop. </p><p>"If you'd never left home."<br/>"We'd probably have left him wandering."</p><p>Both of them shuddered at the thought, Wilbur thinking of a child cold and alone and hungry, and Techno thinking of how Tommy probably wouldn't be alive right now. </p><p>"I still can't believe you told Phil you were older when we met him."<br/>"What? It's true."<br/>"We're twins."<br/>"We got separated for like 3 years."<br/>"We are twins that got separated, found each-other again, I managed to get a sister, and we were only born 2 minutes apart."<br/>"I'm still older."<br/>"Oh for fuck's sake-" </p><p>L'Mandog, who had nestled himself down on Wilbur's lap, now perked up, once again blocking Wilbur's view.</p><p>"L'Man, I love you, but this is not helpful."</p><p>L'Mandog only turned around, stepping on Wilbur's knees, to face him, before licking his face a few times, and running off.</p><p>"You're lucky I love you."<br/>"He's lucky we love him. If you ever stop, he's mine, no take backsies."<br/>"Did you just say 'backsies'? You, the ever-stern Techno?"</p><p>Techno only responded by burying his head in his hands.</p><p>"I've been spending too much time around Tubbo."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Techno: “He’s getting big now”<br/>Wilbur: “Do you ever wish we hadn’t grown up?”</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. 13) Crack Chickens</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tommy and Tubbo have lunch in Pogtopia, and have a chat about Hermitcraft.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For context, the technology they mention is a development that allows the hermits to make videos. They wear bracelets on their wrists, ankles and neck that track their movements, allowing the camera to get a view around their body. The front, back and eye-to-eye camera you would see in a usual Hermitcraft video is caused by this technology. The ad revenue the Hermits make pretty much just goes towards tech for videos.</p><p>Very short Chapter, but Chapter 14 certainly isn’t. &gt;;)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's Lunchtime in Pogtopia, and that means one thing. Beam time.</p><p>"How the hell do you two not fall from up there?"<br/>"Magic."<br/>"It's literally just a bit of cobblestone and wood. There is no way you can be comfortable up there."<br/>"We're fine Techno, go gather the resources you've been trying to get."</p><p>Techno leaves the pair alone, and Tubbo shuffles for a while trying to find the one stone he always sits on, whereas Tommy is rearranging their food.</p><p>"Did you watch Grian's new Hermitcraft video? With the new base?"<br/>"Oh yeah! Dude I'm so jealous of that. I bet Impulse would be so fun to chat with."<br/>"I'm just jealous of them in general. I can't believe Xizuma has enough money to afford the recording equipment."<br/>"Oh yeah! I heard they even spares for when someone joins."<br/>"Xizuma has spare real-time-recorders just lying around?"<br/>"It's so weird how it works as well."<br/>"Yeah, like the whole 'look at yourself with the camera' thing? How is that even coded in? How does that even work?"<br/>"How does it get the front view? Like, through their eyes?"<br/>"I have no clue."</p><p>Techno walks past them, lightly kicking at the beam they're sat on as he passes to go get the sand he'd wanted. Tommy just flips him off, and Tubbo blows a raspberry before Tommy continues the conversation.</p><p>"Whose base do you like the most?"<br/>"Impulse's or Tango's."<br/>"Hell, you were sure of that."<br/>"I like the fact that all the farms are just in their houses, there for when they need it, where they need it. They don't even have to AFK! They're just remodelling their homes and at the same time getting all the materials they could need! It's flawless!"<br/>"You're a nerd."<br/>"Okay then. Who is your favourite?"<br/>"False or Keralis. I like the whole 'city' theme. I mean, you could probably house all the hermits in there! All your friends there when you need it, everyone having such a nice community. You remember Hermitville from Season 6? I LOVED that."<br/>"You like the community?"<br/>"I love how close they all are. They're all really good friends. I really, really like Grian and Mumbo, and Cleo and Joe too. You remind me of Joe a lot. Bit dumb, bit odd, knows a lot, very weird."<br/>"Does that make you Cleo?"<br/>"A mildly aggressive fighter acclimated to violence and weird building? Making server wide battles like the head games? Sounds like me."<br/>"Does that make us best friends?"<br/>"NO!"</p><p>Tommy's yelling, but he's smiling and nodding as he says it. He's not the greatest liar, at least, not to Tubbo.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. 14) 100 times a therapist was needed, and the one time we couldn't get one.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It’s plot time babey! Time to add the plot divergence you’ll be reading for the next 30 or so chapters.</p><p>Techno keeps leaving the door open, and L’Mandog keeps running away.<br/>Tommy goes out to find him, and finds Sapnap instead.</p><p>The results are less than pleasant.</p><p>TW: Mild description of Gore.<br/>Read up to “And Tommy, God.” Then start reading again at “Where’s the nearest bed?”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was only supposed to be a routine border patrol. Keep traitors and outlaws away from the lands, shoot warning shots at those who got too close, but when Tommy stumbled out of the trees, looking that THAT... Well, Sapnap couldn't help himself. </p><p>"Tommy, the fuck are you doing around here?"<br/>
"Tryna find bloody L'Mandog. He's run off again, Techno keeps forgetting to close the entrance to Pogtopia."</p><p>Sapnap feels itchy. His hand clenches around his sword, and he feels himself drop into a battle stance without registering it. George's hand comes to rest on his shoulder.</p><p>"I doubt you two would tell me if you'd seen him."<br/>
"Why should we?"</p><p>Tommy looks weak. Sap can see every part of him that's wavering. He's hunched, his breathing light. He's malnourished, his hand is shaking and bandaged. Every spot, every problem, Sap's mind is zeroing on in it all.</p><p>"Exactly, I'm not entering your land, and I'm not entering Manburg, so leave me be dickhead."</p><p>And that's when it happens. </p><p>Sapnap is moving. George can't stop him, Tommy can't defend himself. He knows where to strike, what to do to cause the most damage. He knows how to do it and he gives in. </p><p>He blinks, and Tommy's falling to the ground, blood is everywhere. </p><p>The message flashes through chat, but Tommy's body stays there on the ground.</p><p>TommyInnit was slain by Sapnap</p><p>[Sapnap]: Uh guys? Why isn't his body dissolving?<br/>
[Technoblade]: Where are you? Tell me. Now.<br/>
[GeorgeNotFound]: Why? So you can come kill us?<br/>
[Technoblade]: Do you think your death is more important than my brother surviving?<br/>
[Technoblade]: I didn't think so.<br/>
[Technoblade]: There are two leaves on his head, how wilted are they?</p><p>"George, you have to tie me to the fence."<br/>
"What?"<br/>
"Listen, the moment I see those leaves I think I'm gonna go apeshit."<br/>
"George just do it, I think Tommy's voiding."<br/>
"You think?"<br/>
"Yes! Now please!"</p><p>They were lucky that back in the hunter base, George's training had been focused on knots. George being colourblind meant that he struggled to pick his targets out from the environment, and so he was forced to train in other areas. </p><p>It only took him a minute or so to tie Sapnap up, and to put Sapnap's belongings into a chest, far from his reach. </p><p>"I don't think I'll be able to break from this. Go ahead."</p><p>George gently lifted Tommy's helmet off of his head, hair matted by blood,  finding two leaves atop his head. The smallest's leaf's tip was dry and withered, but he fought the urge to crunch it, taking Sapnap's words to heart.</p><p>[GeorgeNotFound]: The tip of the smallest one could be crunched.<br/>
[Technoblade]: Touch it, and your death will be number one on my agenda. Where are you?<br/>
[GeorgeNotFound]: Edge of Manburg, Tommy stumbled out of the trees, he said he was looking for your dog?<br/>
[Technoblade]: Shit, okay.</p><p>George closed his communicator looking away from Tommy's heavily mutilated body on the ground towards his friend, only to realise that Sapnap had gone feral.</p><p>George and Sapnap, both being born hunters, they had both seen each-other in an aggressive state, but there were no taunts, no predatory state. Sapnap looked hungry. He was thrashing at his ropes, every move he made was an attempt to get to Tommy, an attempt to break out of the knots that held him. </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>Techno's mind immediately kicked into overdrive. Ever since he'd learned of  (what would you call it? Hybridity? Affliction? Problem? He didn't know) he'd memorised the lemonpeople book. Tommy's body staying after death meant the base plant was destroyed, leaving him 30 minutes to stop Tommy from voiding. </p><p>It Techno no time at all to grab Tubbo and Wilbur and grab them by the collar, dragging them up the stairs after him. Their communicators were back in the ravine, but he didn't care, they'd respawn back in their pockets. He threw Tubbo onto Carl, and Wilbur mounted Tommy's horse in a fancy swooshing motion that Techno would have mocked him for had his mind not been on other things. </p><p>The two of them wordlessly followed him, somehow slower than he was running. He couldn't call this mother bear adrenaline, as they had no mother, and Techno certainly wasn't it. He was however, aware that he was the only one on the server equipped to deal with this, the only other person on the server knowing about Tommy being Niki, who was trapped under Jschlatt's watch.</p><p>When the three of them arrived to the edge of Manburg, Techno nearly collapsed then, seeing his brother on the ground. However, everyone knows the law, only one person can collapse, and Tubbo filled the role perfectly.</p><p>Sapnap was tied to the fence, thrashing arounds, spittle around his mouth that no self-respecting person would have. Sapnap's eyes were locked onto his younger brother, every movement aimed towards him in attack. George was sat beside Tommy, fending off small bugs that tried to approach, and every now and then looking at the leaves on his head. The smaller of which had about half wilted. Techno had 23 minutes to fix this.</p><p>And Tommy, god.</p><p>Tommy was a mess. Slashes and cuts covered his body, notably two large ones, one across his collarbone and neck, the other across his lower abdomen and hips. The grass around him seemed dyed red, blood oozing out all over the ground, bones jutting out at odd angles. Wilbur was on the verge of tears, and Tubbo was hugged to his side, tears running down. It was clear Tommy was dead, and the two largest cuts would scar badly.</p><p>"Where's the nearest bed?"<br/>
"i have one here."<br/>
"Wilbur, put him on it."</p><p>Wilbur moved from Techno's side swiftly, taking care with Tommy's body despite his death. He was laid on an orange bed George had been carrying around, and Wilbur tried his best to have Tommy laid comfortably. He immediately sat down by Tommy's side, and judging by his stance he refused to move until needed. Techno merely nodded in agreement</p><p>"Tubbo, take George and find Dream. Use the emergency circle for Phil, don't take no for an answer. Hold him at bow point if you have to. Here."</p><p>He tossed his crossbow to Tubbo, who nodded, eyes turning stone cold as he dragged George away, whose eyes were locked on Sapnap.</p><p>"He's not going anywhere."</p><p>Now for the worrying part. Moving Tommy. He had to be fast, but he couldn’t be running, he had to be strong for the others. Tommy’s leaves showed Techno had about 20 minutes, which would soon become five. He plucked the bigger leaf from his head, as it was healthier, and would last longer away from Tommy’s body, saying only “stay with him, and tell me when his body dissolves” to Wilbur before mounting his horse, and riding back towards Pogtopia. </p><p>[GeorgeNotFound] was shot by [Tubbo] using [Potato Gun]</p><p>He’d built a room for this exact purpose the moment he’d learned Tommy hadn’t done so himself. Tommy had said the only place he’d considered building a safe room was ‘home’ but he didn’t want Techno to know where that was, and it was probably too far anyway. The room was in the far end of Pogtopia, behind the portal, and Techno hacked his way into it now, mining through the andesite to open a room decorated in Quartz, Gold and Diamond, made this way because A) Tommy was going to be spending 3 months here, it wasn’t going to look shit and B) Tommy tried to decorate the ravine in Diamonds. Techno could give him this.</p><p>He moved to the centre of the room where a 2x2 patch of dirt was, surrounded by water, and quickly planted the small leaf he’d been carrying. He allowed himself to marvel for a second at how quickly it turned into a full plant, and relaxed when the small tufts of hair began poking out of the ground beside it. Tommy was going to be alright.</p><p> </p><p>[WilburSoot]: He’s gone.<br/>
[Technoblade]: Perfect. Come back to the ravine, behind the portal.<br/>
[Tubbo]: Where do I bring Phil?<br/>
[Technoblade]: Pogtopia.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So. </p><p>That happened.</p><p>I hope this was understandable, feel free to leave any questions in the comments.</p><p>The question is, will Tommy spend his three months growing back fine, or will there be something causing a slightly larger problem?</p><p>I guess you’ll have to wait until I write Chapter 40 to find out.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. 15) Where’s my epic background music?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tubbo is sent to get Tommy’s father, Dream causes George’s death, Phil wasn’t planning on nearly losing his son today.</p>
<p>Pspspspspsps come get a short chapter of Phil mildly panicking.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>George didn't dare to disobey Tubbo as he lead Tubbo through the forest, leading with his compass. Dream had been in a hut on the edge of the forest the past few days, which was where they were headed now.</p>
<p>He didn't attempt any deviations to make Tubbo forget the route, as Tubbo was extremely dangerous with a crossbow, and if Technoblade had enchanted it then it would probably kill him in a single shot.</p>
<p>They got to the small shack faster than George had expected, which he put down to being afraid. Once inside (George opening the door for Tubbo, who entered first) they found Dream sat by a furnace in the back of the hut, simply watching some iron smelt.</p>
<p>“Tubbo? Why are you here?”<br/>
“Techno sent me. We need Phil.”<br/>
“You wanna use the summoning circle? Why isn’t Techno here himself?”</p>
<p>George tried to wave at Dream, tell him to cut it out, but the movement was taken as an attack, and Tubbo’s crossbow was unsheathed, loaded and fired in less time than it takes to blink.</p>
<p>And Tubbo is the one firing it.</p>
<p>And Tubbo doesn’t miss.</p>
<p>GeorgeNotFound was shot by Tubbo using Potato Gun </p>
<p>“Techno sent me. We need Phil.”<br/>
“I’ll get it out.”</p>
<p>Tubbo simply stood, motionless, leaving George’s items on the floor either to despawn, or for Dream to pick up, whichever happened first. The aforementioned man clicking away on his comm, as a mat appeared on the floor. Dream moved to a barrel in the corner, pulling out some emeralds and a quill, writing inscriptions on the edge and placing each emerald at the cardinal directions of the mat. </p>
<p>It flashed a dark green, and Ph1lzA stepped out, eyes meeting Tubbo’s immediately.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>When TommyInnit died, Phil was in his home in his hardcore world, moving the glass about. He’d gone upstairs, trying to figure out the problem with his storage when a barely audible crunch sounded through the house, one that Phil had tuned his ears to. The crunch of a small leaf in a pot dissolving, losing its connection to a certain hybrid.</p>
<p>Tommy was dead.<br/>
And in the process of staying that way permanently.</p>
<p>“Shit.”</p>
<p>Phil de-armoured, and grabbed only essentials. He wouldn’t have the time to go to the library and grab Tommy’s book, and he cursed himself out for it. In the end he settled on his un-enchanted diamond tools, some blankets (one for him, three for his sons and one for Tubbo, plus some spares), about 5 stacks of beef, 4 god apples and his reusable two way portal. He grabbed his endless bag, throwing everything in and then beginning the painful process of waiting. Techno would summon him through, or send someone to summon him.</p>
<p>Tommy was dying, and Phil hoped to god that Techno was rushing to replant him, and not waiting for Phil himself. As much as Phil had studied the book, Techno had taken care of Tommy before, and had had to figure it out as he went, which meant he knew Tommy’s preferences and how to care for him the most. He trusted his son to take care of Tommy to the best of his ability. </p>
<p>He’d be summoned regardless of course, Techno would want Phil to explain things to Wilbur and Tubbo, and be a father to Tubbo and Tommy in a way Techno and Will couldn’t.  </p>
<p>He couldn’t forget, Techno would want his Dad too. No matter how little Techno fully explained his feelings, he did show them in the little things, taking Phil in when they were on SMPEarth, staying up with Wilbur when his insomnia got to him and immediately checking on Tommy after his mishap with Vikkstar in MCC. </p>
<p>“Tommy how is it? How bad is it are you okay?”<br/>
“Hey Phil, wanna take over the world with me?”<br/>
“Can’t sleep? I got some potato pie.”</p>
<p>Techno did really care, and right now he was Tommy’s best chance of survival.</p>
<p>Phil used everything he had in him not to pace. If he did so, he’d fall on his face when the portal opened, and it would take him a while to get up again. (He did not laugh when his brain suggested ‘speedrun strats’, he wouldn’t. Though he supposed Tommy would want Phil to stay upbeat at a time like this.)</p>
<p>So when the portal FINALLY opened, Phil practically flew through it, though immediately attempting to calm down when meeting Tubbo’s eyes, which immediately changed from hard and cold to afraid.</p>
<p>“What’s happened to my son Tubbo? Talk to me.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am so bad at having a consistent chapter length that it’s not funny anymore- Chapter 7 was 1550 words long, but Chapter 8 was only 703 words long-</p>
<p>Anyway, come get y’all’s content.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. 16) Today on Dr. Phil - My friend is a Ram.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hey, remember the Worldbuilding chapter where I talk about relics?</p><p>That is all the info you’re getting.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Phil pushed past Dream, ignoring the items of the floor (save for the diamonds, which he picked up) and gently steered Tubbo out of the house, waiting until Tubbo regained his feet. Tubbo resheathed his crossbow, opting instead to hold Phil's hand, and use his comm with the other, and Phil was glad he could provide comfort to the boy who went from being his son’s best friends, to basically a part of their family. </p><p>“I think Tommy’s voiding.”</p><p>Phil knew this information. Of course he did. But it still hurt. He could remember the pure terror Tommy had described. Phil and Techno had agreed to try and protect him from that.</p><p>And they’d failed.</p><p>“I think so.”<br/>“You do?”<br/>“Yeah.”</p><p>Tubbo stopped for a moment to type on his communicator, then changed the direction he was leading Phil. </p><p>“Tommy lent me one of your books once, he brought it back from your Library. Is he one of the Lemon things?”<br/>“Yeah… yeah he is. He let you read that?”</p><p>It startled Phil a little, for Tommy to be so vulnerable like that. He knew that Tommy had known Tubbo from a server he’d hopped through, known Tubbo longer than he’d known even Techno, but he hadn’t expected him to hint like that to Tubbo. Revealing everything and nothing at all. </p><p>“Yeah, I asked him why he kept going to yours, when you guys were constantly at war, and you could just go to your home server, and he told me about the reading. I asked if he had any favourites, and he pulled the lemon one out, then we laughed, because he forget I’m not the best at reading.”<br/>“You’re not?”<br/>“Dyslexia.”<br/>“Oh.”</p><p>Such a core part of Tubbo he hadn’t known.</p><p>“Anyway, we’d go sit in a corner and Tommy would read it to me. Said you had two more, and he could always read it to me if I wanted him to, that way he couldn’t lose it.”</p><p>That sounded like Tommy. Showing vulnerability, whilst seeming like he’s just doing a kind thing. Hiding behind a layer of swears and threats.</p><p>“So it was his favourite because it was about him?”<br/>“Because it was about his kind.”<br/>“Are you a Lemonperson?”<br/>“No, I’m a Scholar.”<br/>“Didn’t they like, get wiped out?”<br/>“Yeah, I’m afraid so.”</p><p>The conversation fell flat for a little while, and Phil let himself admire how well Tubbo took in information, and how fast he worked things out. He was always learning, retaining random facts to be pulled out at the most useful of times. Drop rate factors, spawn chances, Tubbo knew it all. </p><p>“So what happened Tubbo?”<br/>“Well, Tommy was going out looking for L’Mandog,”<br/>“L’Mandog?”<br/>“Yeah, Wilbur tamed him when we had to leave L’Manburg.”</p><p>Phil recalled one of the letters Techno had sent him, how he’d gotten to the server. Tommy and Wilbur had asked for his assistance, and he’d obliged. Tommy and Wilbur being forced out of L’Manburg, Tubbo and Niki being forced to stay.</p><p>“So Tommy had gone to look for him?”<br/>“Yeah, and I guess he went too close to Manburg, because Sapnap killed him.”</p><p>Tubbo scrolled a little way up his communicator, showing Phil the blinking message.</p><p>[TommyInnit] was slain by [Sapnap]</p><p>“Well, Sap said that Tommy’s body wasn’t disappearing, so Techno dragged Wilbur and I out of the ravine, and we went to go get him. Phil, he was-“</p><p>Tubbo fell silent, and Phil allowed him the time. It was clear Tubbo didn’t want to talk about how Tommy had looked. </p><p>“Techno sent me to get you, Wilbur stayed with Tommy, Techno went back to Pogtopia, and I killed George.”<br/>“You killed George? That was his diamonds?”<br/>“You picked them up?”<br/>“They’re free game.”<br/>“Fair enough.”</p><p>Tubbo paused in his speaking, but this time he winced. It was only for a few seconds, then gone again, but Phil noticed it anyway.</p><p>“Something bothering you Tubbo? No-one’s attacked you have they?”<br/>“No, just my head. It’s really been hurting lately. No health potions will fix it, no gapples or anything, and it does leave a constant headache.”<br/>“Is it okay if I check it out?”<br/>“Yeah, it’s just above my ears.”</p><p>Phil crouched down beside Tubbo, and brushed through the hair where Tubbo was referencing, running his fingers over some small white lumps poking out of his head. Phil recognised it almost instantly from the times Wilbur had brought his friend over when they were young.</p><p>“Tubbo, you’ve developed a relic.”<br/>“A relic?”<br/>“Yeah, they appear when something leaves a large impact on you, good or bad.”<br/>“But what are they?”<br/>“Tubbo, I think they’re horns.”</p><p>Tubbo froze, hands gently coming to his head, feeling over where the lumps were forming. Phil gently circled him, walking around to the other side to find the same white lump growing there.</p><p>“Schlatt horns?”<br/>“I’m so sorry Tubbo.”</p><p>Tubbo’s hands came back down, shaking gently as he clenched them, not upset, just angry. </p><p>“I think, I might be able to remove them?”<br/>“It’s okay. Keep them. The Watchers might do something worse, and now I have an excuse to get closer to Schlatt without him insulting me. If he won’t drop what he’s doing, maybe I can make him feel some form of guilt.”<br/>“You’re sure? I could get rid of them if you really wanted.”<br/>“It’s fine. I don’t think I can walk though.”</p><p>As he said this, the horn Phil was looking at began to break through the skin, piercing through, causing blood to drip past.</p><p>“I’ll carry you home. Piggyback or Princess?”<br/>“Piggyback please. There’s not far to go, but I want to make sure both horns have enough space.”<br/>“Of course.”</p><p>Phil speaks under his breath, and feels Tubbo slump against his back asleep, as a glowing light carves the path in front of him, showing him where to go.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m sorry, I really am, but I’m a SUCKER for Tubbo with horns, and also it will make a little more sense later. </p><p>These horns came entirely from the relic. (Thanks Watchers we really love you.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. 17) Cross your fingers, I’ma Need it.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wilbur gets an explanation, Phil has illegal items, Techno’s fucking tired.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wilbur was fucking confused.</p><p>It was understandable of course, he’d been dragged out of a ravine to find his dead brother, slashed to pieces on the ground, bones jutting out everywhere, apparently in the process of voiding. Now Phil had to be called, Niki had to be brought from Manburg (apparently Techno had messaged Dream to provide her safety.)<br/>He reached Pogtopia around the same time as Phil, who had Tubbo on his back.</p><p>“Hey Dad.”<br/>“Hey Will. This your home at the moment?”<br/>“I’m afraid so. Tubbo’s emotions wear him out?”<br/>“No that was me. He’s developing a relic.”<br/>“You’re kidding.”<br/>“Schlatt’s horns have broken through his head, just a few minutes ago. He says he’s had a headache for a little while.”<br/>“Fuck.”<br/>“He’s asked me not to remove them, but I have tried to soothe what I can. I don’t think he’s been sleeping.”<br/>“That and being forced to hunt down his best friend for fear worse than death.”<br/>“True. Lead the way?”</p><p>Wilbur broke through the dirt covering the entrance of the ravine, and allowed Phil to go before him. Even from behind, Wilbur could see where the horns were beginning to break through Tubbo’s head, and was startled a little that he could see blood, instead of a connection. Judging by how big Schlatt’s horns were, even if Tubbo grew them now, they’d keep growing throughout his life to fit him.</p><p>“How long do you think they’ll take to grow fully for his age?”<br/>“At this rate? They’ll be grown by the time Tommy’s back.”<br/>“Back?”<br/>“Yeah. Let me go put Tubbo to bed, and I’ll explain. Where are the bedrooms?”<br/>“Bottom of the stairs to the left. Tubbo’s is the double bed. He shares it with Tommy. Stops their nightmares. It’s not easy in this server.”<br/>“Give me a second.”</p><p>Phil disappeared from Wilbur’s view, and he slouched against the wall.</p><p>[Tubbo] has gone to bed. Sweet Dreams.</p><p>“Right, Techno said in his letter that the panic room was behind the portal, where is that?”<br/>“This way.”</p><p>Wilbur took his father’s hand as they walked down the ravine, and Phil squeezed his hand in return, an old thing they used to do when wandering servers at night. A small comfort when no words could be said.</p><p>He ignored the small amount of nausea he got from walking through the portal, and found a fairly sized room on the other side, covered in quartz, gold and diamond.</p><p>"Splurging Techno?"<br/>"He deserves it."<br/>"Are these the diamonds Will wrote home to me about?"<br/>"No, different ones, I thought he'd appreciate it though. I've tried to make it chaotic-looking in here so he won't get bored as easily. Even carved a maze into the walls."<br/>"When did you have ANY time for this?"<br/>"When you weren't around and the rest were asleep."</p><p>Wilbur did a quick scan of the walls, realising Techno was telling the truth, each little pattern in the wall lead off in some seemingly random direction. </p><p>"So, I think an explanation is in order?"<br/>"I usually wouldn't."<br/>"You wouldn't?"<br/>"Tommy asked us not to."<br/>"Oh so THAT'S why you called Phil."<br/>"Sorry Wil."<br/>"There's a 'but' here isn't there?"<br/>"Yes. We're going to tell you."<br/>"Isn't he going to be mad at you?"</p><p>Phil hesitated for a second, then shook himself and continued.</p><p>"I, I don't think so."<br/>"I- Okay."</p><p>Techno had stayed silent the whole conversation, apart from his apology, and he seemed adverse to talking about it, but a glare from Phil set him straight.</p><p>"Tommy was crying when he asked us not to tell you. Swearing silence was the easiest decision I've ever made."<br/>"You see people crying all the time."<br/>"This was my 15 year-old brother fearing for his life. Tell me you could deny a request when he's like that."</p><p>Wilbur went to speak, and no words came out.</p><p>"So I guess I'm the one talkin' thanks to my experience."<br/>"Techno."</p><p>Techno looked pissed, and this anger was turned to Phil, who met it. Unstoppable force Vs. Immovable Object. Techno's cape was hung in the corner next to a pink bed, and his crown was beside him on the floor. He just felt TIRED. The scars across his face seemed to stick out more now, Wilbur had forgotten how much Techno crashed after a high adrenaline shot.</p><p>"Tommy's this hybrid thing called a Lemonperson, and the last of 'em. Apparently there's a disease that wiped them all out. Hunters kept capturing them all as well, selling them off for breeding, or sometimes as pets."</p><p>Wilbur tried not to jump when Techno physically flinched at the mention of breeding. Then thought about it, and shivers ran throughout his body.</p><p>"If too many people find out, word will spread, and he'll be sold and used before you get a chance to start yet another war."<br/>"Shit."<br/>"The only reason I found out was because he nearly voided after SMPEarth."<br/>"No."<br/>"The way he tells the story, is that he was playin' skywars when it happened. He was hoping to go grab the base plant when people were offline, so when Josh shut down the server, it destroyed a base plant that's basically how he respawns. Without it, it's death. Basically what you saw today. If the base plant gets destroyed, it's 30 minutes until he dies for permanent."<br/>"Tech, you're waffling."<br/>"So he's playing Skywars when Josh closes the server, and someone stabs him right through the chest, about here."</p><p>Techno gestures to a spot just above his navel, and just beneath where a normal person could feel their ribs. </p><p>"That I do know, because I'm the one who found him. He managed to get into my Skyblockle, and then die there."<br/>"How did you know what to do?"<br/>"He uh, wrote instructions, 'Lemonpeople Book' and then the page I needed."<br/>"He had paper on him?"<br/>"No, uh..."</p><p>Techno fell silent, and the look in Phil's eyes and the wings gently shimmering into view silenced Wilbur's word.</p><p>"So you... What? Planted him?"<br/>"Pretty much. I made a small area on the side of my actually built-up island, and he grew there while I shut my island off. It wasn't surprising considering that I was in the middle of the potato war, I did it a lot, but Phil got confused as to why I'd built a small house."<br/>"He came up with a lot of weird excuses."<br/>"Anyway you mentioned a book?"<br/>"Oh!"</p><p>Phil perked up a little at that, and brought out a picture of a young lady with purple hair.</p><p>"It was Salem, the author, who gave those to me. She had copied five. One for herself, three for the academy, and one for Scott. Since I'm all that's left of the academy, I took them in, though Tommy has one. He stole it, then I properly gave it to him after the Skyblockle incident."<br/>"No, Niki has that one now. Tommy's asked her to keep it in her enderchest."<br/>"I can't think of a safer place."<br/>“Wait, you just keep her picture? You have a wife Phil! And now this lady?”<br/>“She’s a good woman. Strong willed. She’s dedicated to her work.”</p><p>He put the picture back in his pocket, and then stilled. Wilbur felt the need to close his eyes, and when they opened, Phil’s clothes had changed from his formal robes into what he’d wear when doing chores at home. Blue jeans, green shirt and a dark green hoodie. Same black boots he’d always wear, and his hat never moved from his head.</p><p>“I have your clothes if you want them Tech.”<br/>“You grab the warmer ones?”<br/>“Yeah.”<br/>“Nice.”</p><p>Phil rummaged around in his bag, then pulled out an enderchest, though it was coloured differently, greener shades than usual, plonking it down and pulling out yet ANOTHER bag, throwing it at Techno, who caught it with a single hand.</p><p>“Wait, Dad, did you say you’re all that’s left of the academy?”<br/>“Yeah. We were raided by hunters, and there was a massive explosion. I was the only survivor.”</p><p>There was a rule in the Watson household. You don’t ask Phil questions about his past. To have such a thing spilled was… new.</p><p>“But Scott got one?”<br/>“Scott’s… special. He worked in the field, and only showed up for a few meets.”<br/>“Ah.”</p><p>“So, Phil, while Techno was taking care of Tommy, what were you doing?”<br/>“Life as usual. I didn’t know anything until Tommy was fully grown. Three months hearing nothing from Techno wasn’t really unusual, and Tommy hadn’t started writing letters yet.”<br/>“Tommy writes you letters?”<br/>“Every now and then. Small updates and things.”</p><p>Wilbur fell silent for a little while, choosing to focus on the two plants growing before him, one thick and vine-like, the other a small pair of leaves, tufts of Tommy’s hair poking out of the ground. Tommy was under there, and it was weird for Wilbur to think about how his brother was down there, unconsciously knitting himself together, and all the four of them could do was wait.</p><p>“So that was all you did? Waited for Tommy to grow?”<br/>“Yeah. It’s a slow process, but it gets easier at the end of the first month. His vocal chords form and he can speak.”<br/>“How do you talk before that?”<br/>“Morse code.”<br/>“He had the patience to learn that?”<br/>“How else was he supposed to talk?”<br/>“Didn’t that take forever?”<br/>“We shortened things. He didn’t talk much when he could for a while though.”<br/>“He didn’t?”<br/>“No.”<br/>“Why?”</p><p>Techno took a breath, and pulled out his axe and whetstone, to begin sharpening it. </p><p>“I’m a ruthless murderer, known for destroying and killing hundreds of people. I ended up making a tournament obsolete because I kept winning it, and took home money every time. Phil’s considered ‘the last of the Scholars.’ He has base knowledge on pretty much everything in the universe that a non-Watcher can know, and is known for being temperamental, switching to Killza in a second, not to mention how long he lives without dying. You’re one of the most convincing diplomats ever, you’ve created a replica of Earth, founded a nation, won tournaments with us. You could convince anyone to do anything with your words. Together we’re one of the most ruthless groups. Why wouldn’t he be scared?”<br/>“But why tell you two and not me? What makes me the most dangerous?”<br/>“His worth.”<br/>“His worth makes me dangerous?”<br/>“He could fund every project you do. Selling him could mean a million hundred-player challenges. Tens of thousands of servers and realms.”<br/>“And he was scared I’d do that?”<br/>“Simon’s done it before.”</p><p>Hypixel. High and almighty lord of the server named after himself. The reason for Techno’s rise to fame.</p><p>“So he asked you not to tell me.”<br/>“And I wasn’t going to betray his trust.”<br/>“You’ve done it before.”<br/>“With minuscule things. When Tommy comes back, he’ll probably tell you what it feels like to void. Then I’d like to see you be able to tell people.”</p><p>Techno finished sharpening his axe, sparks flying off of the netherite edge.</p><p>“So Hypixel knows. I’m guessing for protection on server?”<br/>“Yeah. Scott’s the same.”<br/>“Scott?”<br/>“It was the safest way to stop Tommy voiding at MCC without having to tell all of the Noxcrew.”<br/>“I’m guessing it helps that Scott comes round a lot.”<br/>“Yeah. Having Scott toddler-sit Tommy definitely helped.”<br/>“Does anyone else know?”<br/>“Niki. She’s the one he stayed with the other week.”<br/>“And she has his Lemonpeople book.”<br/>“Yes. Turns out they raided Manburg to go grab it and nearly got caught.”<br/>“Huh.”</p><p>The conversation seemed to end there. There wasn’t much more Wilbur could think of to ask, and Techno seemed tired from the impromptu ‘interrogation’, though it was more likely to be weariness from the day’s events.</p><p>“Techno, do you wanna go get changed? I’ll watch Tommy then head off to bed.”<br/>“Yeah. Keep a crossbow by you. Shoot anyone that’s not supposed to be here.”</p><p>Techno left, the bag Phil had thrown at him over his shoulder, leaving his axe in the corner.  </p><p>“You think you’re gonna sleep Will?”<br/>“I think I’ll go for a walk first.”<br/>“Stay safe. I doubt anyone will attack tonight, but mobs are killer when you’re not focusing.”<br/>“I will Dad.”<br/>“G’Night son.”</p><p>[Ph1lzA] has gone to bed. Sweet Dreams.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>[WilburSoot] has gone to bed. Sweet Dreams.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Finished Chapter 44. </p><p> </p><p>Sorry for not uploading in a while, I lost my Nana and a close friend to COVID, and am currently trying to figure out how to break to my girlfriend that I think I’m Aromantic.</p><p>Anyway, the self-indulgent party chapters start on Chapter 44, so until then, have fun my dudes.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. 18) Is this a Cutscene?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hey look, that amnesia tag finally comes into play!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first month passed very slowly.</p>
<p>With the idea of Tommy’s near death looming over everyone, the first two weeks sucked. All anyone could do was play cards and keep an eye on the plant-boy growing in the ground beside them.<br/>No-one slept much anymore, Tubbo and Phil spending time in the farthest corners of the ravine, talking about their experiences with Tommy and dealing with the developing relic. </p>
<p>Wilbur couldn’t sleep, he’d spend his nights pacing the ravine and more than once would put everything he owned in a chest and wander into Manburg, just to see Tommy’s home, and the places they’d spent time together. No-one had killed him yet, the server seeming to be in mourning, despite some of them barely knowing Tommy, and mentioned person still being alive.</p>
<p>Technoblade kept one eye open and on Tommy always. He knew when to water the base plant, what to touch and prune and what not to. Which areas to keep dry and which to keep wet, and when he got bored of just watching, he’d sharpen his axe. He kept a crossbow by his side always, and would aim it at whoever entered, prepared to shoot at intruders, even though no-one else knew where the ravine was.</p>
<p>After two weeks, Tommy could see, and therefore communicate. His eyes and nose were poked up above ground, so he could blink at Techno, and Techno, for a while, would blink back. Just to make Tommy feel less alone in his silence. Sometimes Phil would sit with them, and Techno would translate, but it wasn’t until the end of that second week did Tommy see Wilbur again.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>When the message came through his comm, he turned and walked back to the ravine instantly. Wilbur nearly smacked his head on a support beam as he made his way down the stairs, but narrowly missed it and carried on. The nausea he usually felt from the portal felt like nothing now, and he was greeted on the other side by Techno sat in the same pink hoodie, jeans, white shirt and ox-blood converse he’d been wearing the full two weeks. The crossbow Techno was aiming at Wilbur’s neck was placed down, and Wilbur sat next to him, facing Tommy, who blinked rapidly.</p>
<p>“What do you mean who is this? It’s Wilbur.”</p>
<p>More blinking.</p>
<p>“Your brother Wilbur. Middle kid, tall, lanky guy.”<br/>“You’re pulling my leg.”<br/>“Tommy, you’ve known him for years, he’s my twin brother.”<br/>“Yeah cause I’m a hybrid idiot.”<br/>“Don’t you remember how you got to this ravine?”<br/>“Yeah you had to leave, you and Wilbur were exiled.”<br/>“Tubbo was forced to stay.”<br/>“You held an election for your land.”<br/>“Yeah. Jschlatt won and exiled you.”<br/>“Yeah, that was a dick move you’re right.” <br/>“Yeah but you nearly voided, don’t you remember?”<br/>“You’re fully serious?”<br/>“Wilbur, go get Phil and Tubbo now.”</p>
<p>Wilbur was up from where he was sat instantly, finding Tubbo and Phil in the bedrooms making all the beds.</p>
<p>“We need you both now. It’s about Tommy.”</p>
<p>Wilbur didn’t give them time to react, instead sprinting back down the ravine to Tommy’s room. Phil racing behind him.</p>
<p>“Problem Tech?”<br/>“Tommy doesn’t remember Wilbur.”</p>
<p>Wilbur dug into the floor of the room, meaning his head was on the same level as Tommy’s, While Phil sat by the portal.</p>
<p>“You alright Scruff? It doesn’t hurt?”<br/>“He says it doesn’t, he hadn’t even realised he’d forgotten everything. As far as he’s aware, he’s never met Wilbur before. He feels bad that if Wilbur really is his brother that he’s probably forgotten important things.”<br/>“No, no it’s okay. You didn’t really have a choice I guess.”<br/>“He thanked you.”<br/>“Don’t worry about it.”</p>
<p>Phil suddenly cut forwards.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry but this has really been annoying me. How the heck do you two communicate so fast? I know for a fact that you can’t spell out sentences so fast.”<br/>“Oh, we shorten everything. ‘Never met Wilbur before’ becomes ‘N-V  M-T  W-B  B-F-R’”<br/>“Oh that makes sense, sorry boys.”</p>
<p>Wilbur turned his head back to Tommy, who was staring at Wilbur’s head with a glint in his eye.</p>
<p>“He says your hat is dumb.”<br/>“Uh! He’s wrong! My hat is gorgeous!”<br/>“Mhm, I think I side with Tommy here."<br/>"That's rude!"<br/>"You took off the uniform, and continued to wear the hat. It's dumb Wil."<br/>"I like the hat, I've had it for a very long time! I Don't want it to go missing."<br/>"Would you like me to put it in the multi-server enderchest Wil?"<br/>"Yes please."</p>
<p>Wilbur took off the hat, passing it to Phil who put it gently beside him, typing on his communicator until the colours of the enderchest shifted to a mustard yellow, then placing the hat inside.</p>
<p>"Tommy wants to know what the things on Tubbo's head are."</p>
<p>Tubbo's relic had developed a little more, and you could tell they were horns now. They'd begun curling, but were mainly pointed upwards, now beginning to aim backwards. They were gaining ridges, and no amount of soothing could stop the pain of them pushing through, causing nights where he would curl up with Phil, screaming his lungs out. Phil himself would be cursing out the glitches for making bad relics a thing, Jschlatt for causing Tubbo such pain, and also the Watchers for deciding relics were a good idea in the first place. Tubbo had been half-asleep, curled up to Phil's side, but sat up now, rubbing gunk from his eyes. He moved from where he was to sit in Wilbur's lap, bringing him head-to-head with Tommy, who tensed up when Wilbur moved an arm to straighten Tubbo.</p>
<p>"He's okay Tommy. Wilbur doesn't mean any harm. I still have a crossbow on me."</p>
<p>That seemed to be the right thing to say, because Tommy (or Tommy's leaves rather) relaxed into his usual position. </p>
<p>"They're Relics man, I thought Phil told you about them?"<br/>"Tommy has said, and I quote. 'Yeah I know that dickhead, how did you get them?'"<br/>"Oh! When you and Wilbur got exiled, I was forced to stay behind and take down all our memories. We think it came from there."<br/>"Tommy's just called Schlatt a 'Real fuckin' piece of work'"<br/>"He's not wrong." <br/>"He says the horns look pretty painful."<br/>"They are man. Phil's been trying his hardest to help, but my throat's super raw."<br/>"He's offered a hug when he gets out of the 'Watcher forsaken ground.'"<br/>"I think I'll take you up on that man."<br/>"He misses you."<br/>"I miss you too man."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m kinda nervous about these chapters, don’t know if I’m portraying this right.<br/>Any help would be appreciated.</p>
<p>I have changed the way this works to make life easier, so instead of flashed memories, anyone Tommy’s forgotten he’s certain he just.... hasn’t ever met before. So his personality won’t become funky, because he’s just being ‘himself’ around these people.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. 19) Welcome to the Trash House</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hey look, remember I mentioned those admin meet things? Here’s the first of three!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Phil didn't bother to knock on the entrance to Dream's hut. Didn't have time or the care for it.</p><p>"What are you doing here? Why did Tubbo need you a few weeks ago?"<br/>"I'll explain at the admin meet. Get your portal out."<br/>"Shoot, I forgot about that."<br/>"Well get it out. I've learnt in the past two weeks that this place isn't safe enough to have a portal building."</p><p>Dream pushed himself up off of the floor, and Phil made no move to help him. He could handle it himself.</p><p>"What's with the jeans and shirt?"<br/>"Robes aren't great for this server. They get caught on everything. I wear them for formalities and dramatic flair. Not to mention that I have more worries than clothes."<br/>"Worries?"<br/>"Just get the fucking portal out."</p><p>Apparently, Dream had no clue how to read a room, because he continued to chatter aimlessly. </p><p>"You changing into the clothes now or something?"<br/>"They'll appear when we do. Perks of a scholar."<br/>"Yeah. A scholar. Right."</p><p>Phil said nothing.</p><p>Dream continued to chatter on about speed running, and Phil ignored him. Imagined cutting off his head. Didn't.</p><p>"It's active. We can go."</p><p>Phil stepped through, the same grace and poise as always. Showing up late didn't mean you could rush.</p><p>On the other side, the other admins and server owners were already sat around the table, doing their own thing. Xizuma and Grian were chatting, Stampy and Squid arm wrestling. Amy was flicking through her comm, and Hypixel and Noxite had holograms of games up, Scott leaning over Noxite's shoulder to point out features and sections.</p><p>Their admin group was one of the most notable to Watcher circles, not that anyone (including Grian) knew this. Considering the group consisted of:<br/>	- Grian, a made Watcher<br/>	- Xizuma, a gifted admin end-kind<br/>	- Stampy, a cat-hybrid gifted<br/>	- Squid, a squid-hybrid gifted<br/>	- Amy, a mermaid<br/>	- Hypixel, a universally known admin<br/>	- Noxite, a powerful admin coder<br/>	- Scott, a field scholar<br/>	- Dream, a speed gifted<br/>	- And Phil, a [REDACTED] scholar</p><p>Upon their entrance the room hushed, and Phil stayed silent, moving to take his seat to the right of Grian. Dream walked through after him, and assumed his usual position of slouching across his chair to Squid's left. </p><p>Xizuma, their elected leader, spoke first. </p><p>"Okay, everyone's here. Dream, this is expected for you, but Phil? Hold up in a farm?"<br/>"I've had to take up residence in the DreamSMP, having something more important than farm rates to worry about. I'll explain after the usual discussions if I can? I think you'd be able to help. As for me being late, I forgot that dream's server is so anarchistic that there's no portal building."<br/>"Okay then, we'll follow the usual agenda of Glitch Notes and skip update notes for now, so you can have all the time we can spare. Hypixel, you're first this week."</p><p>And so they went around the table, explaining lag problems on the servers, the amount of glitches, and if there had been any major problems. (only Hypixel had, forming yet another pack of chicken hybrids thanks to a rather nasty patch of glitches on a Skyblock.) and as Xizuma had asked, update notes were skipped.</p><p>"Phil, we have an issue?"<br/>"Yeah, it's to do with my son."</p><p>He paused for a second, trying to figure out how to phrase things. What to reveal, what not to. How much danger was he willing to put his son in in an attempt to save him?</p><p>"Tommy's lost his memory, well, some of it anyway. He doesn't remember Wilbur at all. He can't remember how he died, so I think he's forgotten Sapnap and George, and his mind blocks out certain parts of his life. He remembered winning MCC with Techno and I, but thought there had just been a shortage in players that tournament. As far as he was concerned, Wilbur just wasn't there."<br/>"So that's what the shift was?"<br/>"Shift?"<br/>"The Watchers have been concerned over a big shift recently, something big affecting the Universe's path. I'm guessing that would be it."<br/>"Tommy's powerful enough to concern the Watchers?"<br/>"Yes. We'll speak on it later."</p><p>Everyone stayed silent at that, and no-one objected. In this group, everyone had hidden something at one point or another. </p><p>Xizuma had hidden that he'd allowed his brother to live, and that he had a brother at all.</p><p>Grian had hidden being a Watcher for a while. And when asked why EVO had ended, only stated that it had 'been time.'</p><p>Hypixel and Noxite still had things they didn't share. From little things like ways to automatically catch glitches, and big things like that section of Hypixel that hackers get trapped in until they've finished their sentence, with every anti-hack a server could possibly get.</p><p>"Tommy remembers nothing of them?"<br/>"Exactly. And it's not like some cloudy thing either. As far as he's aware, those people just never existed. I'm going to be honest, it's a miracle he remembered you Scott. Most of the times you've visited, Wilbur's been all over you."<br/>"Oh Watcher."</p><p>"I've just spoken with my elders, I might be able to help."</p><p>Grian's voice cut through the tension of the room like a blade through veins.</p><p>"Tommy's natural state has been corrupted beyond what it should be. It's likely a glitch has interfered with the memory process. I'm allowed to return his memories of one person."<br/>"How many has he forgotten?"<br/>"Six."<br/>"And you can't tell us who they are?"<br/>"I'm afraid not."</p><p>Phil didn't let himself get his hopes up at all.</p><p>"There's a catch isn't there?"<br/>"Isn't there always?"</p><p>Grian's eyes met Phil's, ringed with Violet, and Phil was once again reminded of the sheer power held in this man. He was a trial, given too much power, more than the Watchers knew how to contain, the winged creatures merely hoping they'd bestowed power to a good man. If Grian wanted, he could take down everything and everyone both in the room and around it in less than a minute. </p><p>When Grian spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper, though it carried perfectly, and it was tinged with the pain of a man who knew he was putting the weight of more than the world on the shoulders of someone who didn't deserve it.</p><p>"Only Tommy is allowed to decide who he remembers, but he's not allowed to know the choice he's making, and we're not allowed to tell him, or guide him to who we think is the best choice."<br/>"There's something more still?"<br/>"If he choses correctly, all of his memories are restored. If not, I restore his memories of the person and he goes about his life, and the path this universe is on changes."</p><p>The room once again fell silent. A choice to change everything on the shoulders of a teenager who was missing chunks of his memory. In that moment the group seemed to split, over who they thought was the best decision, though no-one said it aloud.</p><p>"And you know who he has to chose?"<br/>"Yes."<br/>"So we wait then."<br/>"Until Tommy can tell us more, yes."<br/>"Then we wait."</p><p>Xizuma pushed his chair away from the table, and stood up.</p><p>"I think that's all we have to discuss then. We will return as usual in a month. Dream, I'm going to ask you to bring Technoblade and Tubbo to the next meeting with you and Phil. I want to look into their opinion."<br/>"And Wilbur?"<br/>"Tommy clearly needs to spend time with him judging by Phil's assessment. Would I be right in guessing that everyone's trust in Wilbur improves Tommy's trust in him?"<br/>"Yeah. I think he needs to learn about himself not only through Wilbur's memory but through the general environment. I'd like to see if his body reacts the same way it always has to Wilbur, as in if he's still relaxed around Wilbur like he used to be or if everything is fully wiped."</p><p>Scott stood next, brushing off his jeans and tipping his witch hat to the group before hopping through the x-life portal with a 'See you guys later!'</p><p>Xizuma and Grian left next, Grian flying through first as to not bash into Xizuma as they went through the portal.</p><p>Squid and Stampy both went through the 'choice' portal, so it was anyone's guess as to where they'd end up, and Noxite and Hypixel gave a gentle nod before heading off in their separate ways.<br/>Amy hopped into the water pond nearby, swimming off to go find her portal, leaving only Dream and Phil in the room. </p><p>"So you're staying then."<br/>"Yes."<br/>"You've brought some of your weird game-breakers haven't you?"<br/>"Yes."<br/>"I'm going to have to take them off your hands."<br/>"You don't decide shit mate. I'm the one in control here."<br/>"i doubt that."<br/>"When we get back to the server, try to access my console. I dare you."<br/>"Sure."<br/>"I'll stop by soon. Check server connections."<br/>"No you fucking won't.. You should be able do that remotely. My son is on the edge of voiding this isn't a time for something as petty as you trying to get more power for your ego."<br/>"Oh?"<br/>"You know what you're going to do?"<br/>"What?"<br/>"You're going to de-op Sapnap and George. I'm not having hunters with access to the server console when my family is in danger."</p><p>And with that, Phil walked away, with all the grace and poise with which he'd entered, this time tinged with murder. Leaving Dream to wonder how the hell Phil knew anything about George and Sapnap.</p><p>[Sapnap] can no longer access the server console.<br/>[GeorgeNotFound] can no longer access the server console.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Who can currently access the server console:<br/>- AweSamDude (Admin)<br/>- Dream (Operator)<br/>- Callahan (Operator)<br/>- Badboyhalo (Operator)</p><p>Haha Dadza content because we’re all starved of it I’m just gonna make a protective Philza because this was written before Nov. 16 and also because this takes place before Nov. 16 obviously lmao.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. 20) I’m not legally required to do this.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dream said he was gonna stop by for server connections, and he does because he’s a dick. I always wondered how Dream knew where Pogtopia was when he gave Wilbur the TNT, so I gave him a reason to know.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Philza was not pleased when, a week later, Dream showed up at the door of Pogtopia.</p><p>"Why the fuck can't I access your inventory?"<br/>"Why the fuck is your fifth-grader masked ass at my door?"<br/>"I tracked Wilbur. Turns out commands don't seem to affect you."<br/>"What a wonder."<br/>"I'm here to have a look at Tommy. There's no way he's voiding. There's nothing on the server dangerous enough."<br/>"That's not for you to decide."<br/>"We got a problem old man?"</p><p>Techno reached the top of the stairs behind Phil, putting a hand on his shoulder to pull him aside.</p><p>"I chatted to Tommy. Let the egotist in."<br/>"He knows the area."<br/>"He tries shit and I kill him. Simple."</p><p>Techno led the pair of them down the stairs, and to Tommy's room behind the portal where both Wilbur and Tubbo were sat. Wilbur with a collection of throwing knives that Phil had given him for his 15th Birthday, and Tubbo with the crossbow Techno had given him.</p><p>"So this is Dream then? Big green dickhead with a home-made mask that looks like paper-mache? Prick."</p><p>Tommy's vocal chords and shoulders were now grown, and to be fair, Tommy didn't look too intimidating, but the people around him and the fact he was talking like he'd never seen Dream before made Dream shiver.</p><p>"Yeah. Meet the idiot that owns the dump of a server."<br/>"You play on it. You don't have to."<br/>"it's fine when my best mate isn't at risk of perma-death."</p><p>The speaking allowance seemed to circle the room, first Phil at the door, then Techno down the stairs, Tubbo as Dream entered, and now Wilbur.</p><p>"Look. Do what you need to do and leave. I was actually having a great conversation with Tommy about the time I broke his arm."<br/>"I don't remember it, but it seems like a dick move."<br/>"He was stabbing me with a wooden sword so I pushed him down the stairs."<br/>"I have the scar he talked about, so it must be real."<br/>"You can't see your own arms."<br/>"I have this thing called a brain dickhead. I remember my bloody scars. I've gone one here by my collarbone."</p><p>He tipped his head to Tubbo who gently moved his shirt neckline to show the top of the scar.</p><p>"Right."</p><p>Phil's wing shimmered into view and gently moved behind Techno.</p><p>"Dream, what are you even here for."<br/>"I told you, connection checks. Apparently I need to be here for child protection services. Why have you buried your child?"<br/>"He's growin'. Not the first I've had to take care of him like this."<br/>"Do I get an explanation?"<br/>"No. Run your checks and get out."<br/>"Fine."</p><p>Dream knelt down, beside Tommy, who recoiled immediately when Dream pulled a sword out. The sounds of crossbows locking and axes being pulled out filled the room.</p><p>"Woah calm down. I need a drop of his blood."<br/>"No fucking way."<br/>"I keep 'em in comm compartments."<br/>"Phil please say he's lying."<br/>"I'm afraid he's not. I have all of you boys from when you were young."<br/>"Holy shit."</p><p>Tubbo's voice cut out at the end of that sentence, breaking a little.</p><p>"You don't have to Tommy."<br/>"Can't you give him some of yours?"<br/>"Not really. The blood turns straight into code."<br/>"Shit."<br/>"I mean, you don't have to do it. We've all been here and god-knows that Techno hasn't stopped looking after you."</p><p>Dream didn't miss the small smile Tommy offered to Techno, who, despite the tension in the room, offered one back.</p><p>"I'm a big man, I'll take the cut, just give me a second."</p><p>Tommy closed his eyes, and leaves sprouted from the ground, wrapping around his neck and shoulders to leave a small spot on the collarbone.</p><p>"There you go. That felt good to do. Lets out a bit of energy and makes sure you don't miss. If it weren't for the fact everyone here including apparently me hates you, I'd recommend you use one of Wilbur's knives. You might actually make a reasonable cut then. Everyone seems to think you're gonna cut me in half."</p><p>Tubbo snorted at that, but Dream elected to ignore him, instead carefully cutting a small slice in the spot Tommy had offered up, gently wiping his comm against the spot to grab the blood reading.<br/>Leaves grew to cover the spot immediately, and a fair amount of them died away, leaving a collar around his neck.</p><p>"Tommy, doesn't that hurt? Killing the leaves?"<br/>"I summoned them for temporary use. They're different to connector leaves."<br/>"Salem never mentioned that."<br/>"I guess the colony didn't tell her."</p><p>Techno immediately began flicking through the book on the bed in the corner.</p><p>"Nope. Curse her."</p><p>Phil seemed to laugh at that for a moment, then turned to Dream.</p><p>"Okay. Dream? The check?"<br/>"He's only got three hearts, but his connection is fine and he's at full health."<br/>"Good. Now get out of here."<br/>"What?"</p><p>The second wing shimmered into view.</p><p>"Get out. Go. Vanish. You did the check, you served your purpose, and now we know that Tommy's forgotten you too. We didn't even want you here. Leave."<br/>"I removed Sap and George from the server console."<br/>"Well done. Would you like a medal?"</p><p>Dream opted to leave</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Phil wings go shimmer pog? </p><p>Phil has wings but doesn’t show them?</p><p>Hey Cairo, I wonder if that’s something you won’t address for the next 50 chapters.</p><p>Hey Cairo, I wonder if that’s something you only plan to address in season 2.</p><p>Hey Cairo, you’re a dick.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. 21) Houston, I have so many problems.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sapnap is an E-Boy and Tommy doesn’t like it, but George had a piss problem and that’s funny.</p><p>Also, Tommy spits lemonade.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dream stopped by the next week, and Tommy wasn't too happy about that. </p><p>"Aw come on man! You couldn't have waited another week?"<br/>
"What happens in a week?"<br/>
"I can actually use my arms. I could grab your ankles and trip you over or challenge you to a game of cards to prove my dominance."</p><p>Dream ruffled his hair and Tommy spat at him, hitting him right in the eyes.</p><p>"Holy shit! The fuck was that?"<br/>
"Lemonade."<br/>
"LEMONADE? YOU CAN SPIT LEMONADE?"<br/>
"Suck it."</p><p>Techno only scoffed.</p><p>"Anyway, Phil said it was you who wanted me to visit?"<br/>
"Yeah. Did you bring the lost man and the snapchat guy?"<br/>
"Yeah."<br/>
"Bring 'em in then. Phil thinks I've forgotten them too and I want to meet them."<br/>
"Sure."</p><p>George came through the portal, wheeling in a bound Sapnap who immediately began fighting his bonds.</p><p>"I told you Dream, Sap goes fucking feral."<br/>
"Dude insane or something?"<br/>
"He really doesn't like your leaves for some reason."</p><p>Dream seemed a little affronted at that.</p><p>"Leaves?"<br/>
"Yeah, on his head."<br/>
"You have leaves apart from the ones you made last time?"<br/>
"Yeah. I'm surprised how chill you were about that. Dad screamed the first time I did it."<br/>
"I think I mighta' gone into shock."<br/>
"Anyway, George means these."</p><p>Before Dream could blink, a pair of small leaves pushed above Tommy's head and stretched up.</p><p>"They've been struggling down here in the ravine, but it's safest for them down here. Or for me I guess."<br/>
"Huh."</p><p>"Anyway, lost guy, what's with the goggles it's like super dark in here."<br/>
"They're corrective."<br/>
"Dad has corrective glasses for reading, they aren't shaded."<br/>
"I'm colourblind. They correct the colours."<br/>
"Oh are you the piss colourblind? Where everything's yellow?"<br/>
"The piss- The PISS colourblind?"<br/>
"Yeah!"</p><p>Tommy seemed to think for a second, then got a really concerned look on his face.</p><p>"Oh Watcher, if you were terribly incredibly ill you wouldn't be able to tell! Your piss would look normal!"<br/>
"Tommy why is that the first thing that comes to mind-"<br/>
"Oit, you tell me that's not a genuine problem."</p><p>George fell silent.</p><p>"OH MY GOD YOU'VE HAD THAT PROBLEM. YOU HAD A PISS PROBLEM AEEEEE."<br/>
"Tommy why is that whatcha' care about?"<br/>
"Techno, but if he was horribly incredibly ill-"<br/>
"We get the point Tommy."</p><p>Sapnap had managed to stop himself now, the snarling and fighting calming down.</p><p>"Sorry, fuck."<br/>
"What is up with you man."<br/>
"I don't know? I did that when I killed you too."<br/>
"You're the dickhead that put me in the ground? Dude that was a shit move."<br/>
"Why did you die like that?"<br/>
"I'm guessing you destroyed the base plant."<br/>
"What?"<br/>
"The big thing behind me?"<br/>
"Oh."</p><p>Yes, Sapnap did recognise that. It was the plant he'd destroyed out on his trip with Dream and George. The one he'd known how to methodically destroy. </p><p>"Yeah, I have seen that before."<br/>
"You killed it didn't you?"<br/>
"Yeah."<br/>
"Thanks for causing me major memory loss."<br/>
"Sorry man."<br/>
"You can apologise by explaining the e-boy look to me."<br/>
"E-boy look?"<br/>
"Yes."<br/>
"It's cool."<br/>
"You look fucking dumb."<br/>
"thanks."<br/>
"You're welcome. And dismissed."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Cairo? Is this a double upload?</p><p>Perhaps, but I think the chapters are shorter.</p><p>PISS NOT FOUND<br/>PISS NOT FOUND</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. 22) A hoodie a day keeps the assholes away</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Step back Ranboo, I gave characters memory loss in the SMP before it was cool.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next step was finding out the fifth person Tommy had forgotten.</p><p>Wilbur had been recounting the history of L'Manburg with Tommy, filling in any moments Tommy's brain had forced him to forget.</p><p>They'd managed to fill in a lot of blanks, and Tubbo had helped out for the disc war (which Tommy had completely forgotten about thanks to his memory wipe of Dream), and now they'd reached the end of the L'Manburg war in which Wilbur had explained the duel between him and Dream. (Wilbur certainly hadn't dramatized it to show Tommy in a much kinder light than Wilbur had been to him when the duel had actually happened.)</p><p>"So, we'd won, and decided to set up a presidential campaign."<br/>"Why would you do that mate?"<br/>"To consolidate my power, prove that I wasn't forcing everyone to obey me."<br/>"OH! You didn't wanna be a prick!"<br/>"Yeah," Wilbur couldn't help the laugh that tumbled out, "You could say that-"<br/>"I did."<br/>"Anyway, Quackity and George ran against us."<br/>"OH I remember that! At least Quackity. He threw his beanie at me and I threatened to rip it in half."<br/>"That you did."<br/>"Anyway, Schlatt ran as well."<br/>"Dick move."<br/>"That it was. Do you remember the election Tommy?"<br/>"I remember I think. Quackity won didn't he? Cheated somehow. And Fundy committed voter fraud."<br/>"Yes, but uh... Tommy, Jschlatt won."<br/>"Oh, the dickhead guy who hurt Tubbo and kicked us out? He won?"<br/>"Yeah, Tommy he had this massive speech and took one of my three main deaths."<br/>"Dude he sounds like a huge dick."<br/>"Tommy you've met him. He was one of my childhood mates."<br/>"Well, forgetting you means that I probably won't remember your childhood mates."<br/>"You looked up to him so much you know. It's where you get your affinity for scamming."<br/>"Oh, damn."<br/>"Tommy, have you forgotten Jschlatt?"<br/>"Damn. I guess I have."<br/>"That's... Not good."</p><p>It was at this point that Techno decided to enter the portal with some... Interesting news.</p><p>"Jschlatt is a terrible fighter."<br/>"You- you're covered in blood Techno. What did you do?"<br/>"Met Schlatt in the woods, and he attempted to drunkenly fight me. Guy's useless. Even drunk you can tell his stature is bad. Heck, I was wearing converse and I beat him."<br/>"The outfit counts? I'm not so sure about that big man."<br/>"I'm a lot better with my cape and pants. I can move better than in jeans, and the cape distracts people."<br/>"You're telling me that wearing a hoodie causes a detriment to your fighting?"<br/>"Yeah."<br/>"That might be the best fact I've ever heard! Now I can make more fun of the green prick!"<br/>"Sure Tommy."</p><p>Techno swung his axe off of his shoulder, and placed it on the corner of the room. </p><p>"I'm going to Dad to get my clothes clean. You guys learn anything?"<br/>"Tommy's forgotten who Jschlatt is."<br/>"Tommy, are you telling me you just instantly assumed Schlatt was a dick?"<br/>"He hurt Tubbo and therefore he's a dick."<br/>"That's a fair assumption."<br/>"Too true!"<br/>"Anyway I'm gonna go get clean, here's your wood Wil."<br/>"Thanks Tech."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you hurt Tubbo you are a dick.</p><p>Tommy, you’re gonna love the festival.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. 23) Fuck it up Tubbo.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tubbo and Techno attend an admin meet. </p><p>Hypixel is the world’s biggest dick because I wanted to.</p><p>Sorry Purpled, you owe your prowess to a bastard.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Phil, maybe you should stay on Dream's server more often. He's actually on time for once."<br/>"Well, it's not really avoidable, what with the current situation."<br/>"Fair argument. Noxite, would you get the chairs, we're going to start."</p><p>The mild shuffle of Noxite summoning chairs was only interrupted by an excited squeal from Tubbo.</p><p>"Holy Watcher! Your armour is bee shaped? You look like a bee! That's so cool man! Grine! I should have been told this! Oh my Watcher I love bees!"<br/>"Grine?"<br/>"Shhhhh. We're talking about bees."<br/>"Well, they're pretty cool. I based my, well, base off of them this season."<br/>"Oh I saw that! Your farm was so cool! I built it in the SMP for a while but Sapnap's a notorious pet killer, and he considered the bees my pets."<br/>"Oh dude-"<br/>"It sucked."<br/>"I mean, I have some honey on me and some full bee nests if you want them."<br/>"Really?"<br/>"Yeah, I don't mind."<br/>"Oh my god! Thank you!"<br/>"Would you like me to put them in the bag Tubbo?"<br/>"Oh, please!"</p><p>Phil took the bee nests from Tubbo, putting then in his endless bag for safekeeping to put in the cross-server enderchest when they got back to Pogtopia.</p><p>Phil looked to Xizuma, and they silently shared a look. One that said 'He needs this.'</p><p>However, once the interaction was over and everyone had settled, Tubbo calmed to the same level of serious energy as the rest of the people around the table. Techno, however, did not, and instead carried the energy of a Tsunami, ready to destroy anyone who stepped out of line. </p><p>"We'll pass over our regular proceedings due to guests and also more pressing matters. Unless anyone has any extreme glitch problems?"<br/>"I had another 3 chicken hybrids but they're all fine."<br/>"Then we press on. Guests at the table today are Tubbo and Technoblade to discuss the matter of Tommy's lost memories."<br/>"I've also got information Tommy's allowed us to share under the condition that this is not spoken about outside of the members around this table."<br/>"The oath of meet adheres to this condition. All those adhering to the oath of meet, say 'aye'."</p><p>A circle of 'aye's went around the room, and Phil was satisfied by their agreement.</p><p>"I'm not going to lie, Techno being here increases how comfortable I am to do this."</p><p>Techno grunted, and both Scott and Hypixel flinched. Phil turned his gaze to Techno, who nodded just enough for Phil to see it, but it confirmed his suspicions.</p><p>"Scott, Hypixel, you're already aware of this, and I know this purely from your reactions, and my knowledge of how Tommy works."<br/>"Techno did it to you too Scott?"<br/>"I know what you're like, and no. He threatened me, then realised I wasn't any danger, and we sat down for some tea. I take great care of Tommy, have an area in the MCC arena for him, and had no trouble adding the code. We had a lovely conversation about potato farming, and I convinced him to talk to Phil about you pressuring him."<br/>"Oh I was threatened by the both of them."<br/>"Can someone please explain?"<br/>"Tommy's a Lemonboy."<br/>"Lemonboy?"</p><p>Phil was a little surprised at Grian's excitement. </p><p>"I know this one. The Watcher course covers it under 'oddities and the uncontrollable'. Hunters were another example of something the Watchers didn't create. They have this base plant that connects them to the universe, and can only respawn if it's planted. Without it, the next time they're killed they have 30 minutes before voiding. The one the Watchers showed us looked like this."</p><p>Grian summoned a small cloud which produces a hologram-like replica of the plant Phil had growing next to Tommy in Pogtopia.</p><p>"That looks like the one we have in Pogtopia."<br/>"Pogtopia? That's a dumb name. Tommy name it?"</p><p>[Hypixel] was shot by [Tubbo] using [Potato Gun]</p><p>"You kept that Tubbo?"<br/>"Good crossbow. Useful. How I killed George for wasting my time as Tommy died. Might as well."<br/>"I musta' rubbed off on you. Don't let them forget you have a spine."</p><p>Hypixel respawned in the corner of the room, and took his seat without a word.</p><p>"Grian, you said Tommy had forgotten six people? We know five of them."<br/>"Okay?"<br/>"The five are Wilbur, Dream, Jschlatt, George and Sapnap."<br/>"So we don't know the sixth."<br/>"We checked everyone on the server, he knows them all, so he's forgotten someone either from his Hypixel days, or SMPEarth."</p><p>Hypixel raised a hand.</p><p>"He used to play a lot with one of the Skyblock sweats."<br/>"Oh I remember him! He was part of our co-op with Freddie, Eryn and Jack. He always reminded me of Eret. They had the same hair and sunglasses."<br/>"I can check the records, but without my team it'll take a while. I can't have them by the next meet, but maybe the one after?"</p><p>Phil stretched, shoulders popping and cracking as he did so. He’d spent a lot of time, sitting in the same position, and despite the frequent walks with Tubbo, it was leaving a toll on his body.</p><p>“Well, that’s some form of progress, which is good for now.”<br/>“I got a question fer someone.”</p><p>Techno’s first meet related sentence. He leaned forwards on his chair, balancing his hands on his axe, the head on the floor.</p><p>“Grian. You know about Lemonpeople. Tommy’s the last. Any clue why they’re so rare?”<br/>“Yes, it was covered in the course. The Lemonpeople, are a glitch in what we call the universe’s console. We suspect they came from a modded server, but no-one’s actually sure. They all have bright yellow hair, and they’re good for the environment. They’re usually bright, spunky people and have a pollen effect that causes plants and crops to prosper. Rich people like to use them as pets and display them. Sort of a ‘look what I have and you don’t.”</p><p>“Doesn’t explain anything except why I’m getting so many potatoes back home. I thought my ADHD was playing up. Get to the point.”</p><p>“The thing is, the Lemonpeople liked to keep to themselves. They’d help out the small servers they passed through, but never stayed very long, and they can’t make a server unless they’re a gifted or other hybrid, which as far as I can remember never happened.”</p><p>Grian missed the small wince from Tubbo.</p><p>“Hunters liked to go out and kill them. They used to capture them for money, but they monopolised the trade, and wanted no-one else to do that, so they began killing every single one. Around this time, Lemonpeople began to be attacked by a disease that spread fast through their species. Lemonpeople never left each-other, but I’m guessing Tommy’s parents must have told him to run at a very young age. Phil, what year did you adopt Tommy?”<br/>“Uh, 2007. We took him in, named him Theseus at Techno’s request.”<br/>“So Tommy would have been about 3 years old yes? Did he look like he’d been running long?”<br/>“No, he only had a few scratches, though I guess food and drink was easy for him?”<br/>“Yeah. Lemonpeople don’t actually need to eat. They do it when they’re wounded to speed up healing, but they mainly photosynthesise.”<br/>“Oh yeah. That one confused me for a bit. Tommy always wears a helmet, so I got confused as to how he did it, but he said he does it through his skin. He has less cell things.”<br/>“Chloroplasts?” Amy offered.<br/>“Yeah. Those. He says there’s less in his skin which is why he’s human-colour, but they’re still there.</p><p>It was Squid who spoke next. He didn’t speak much in these meetings, despite being quite an outgoing man. As a pretty famous gifted, Stampy and he had to keep up a pretty positive charade at most times, and so they usually took admin meets as a time to relax for a little.</p><p>“I’ve watched the MCCs, always do, and Tommy doesn’t wear a helmet then. What’s up with that?”<br/>“Oh that’s part of how I already knew about Tommy. I had to keep that from you Nox, but on top of the dodge bolt arena is a garden, and it’s got one of Tommy’s leaves planted there. Or at least it did. I messaged Techno about it the other day. It disintegrated when Tommy died, I’m guessing it lost… what? Connection to him?”<br/>“Yeah, mine did the same.”<br/>“Anyway, I have the leaf there so that Tommy can play on the server, and so I have some things coded so that his leaves are virtually invisible, unless you’re really looking for them, you won’t see them. I also made that area wholly invulnerable, so no-one can touch the leaves. We don’t want any accidental voids.”<br/>“I’ve done the same, though it was a little trickier for me to apply it on every segment. I had to ban him for a few months under ‘safety precautions’ until I’d gotten the code figured out. Plus I had to do it alone, which made it even longer. Couldn’t have I told someone?”<br/>"Simon. Your first instinct was to lock him in 2b2t."</p><p>[Hypixel] was shot by [Tubbo] using [Potato Gun]</p><p>"What the hell?"<br/>"That's a dick move."<br/>"He's worth hundreds of thousands! You can't blame me for trying."</p><p>"Simon, I'm going to have to ask you to sit down."<br/>"Oh pipe down X. You're a wimpy excuse of a man. Fight me like a human."</p><p>That shut him up.</p><p>"Let's do a round robin. Grian won't do anything unless allowed by the above, Stampy and Amy are human pacifist. They'll attack mobs, but not me. Scott would lose against me in a fight, and Noxite would lose before it started. Dream doesn't give two shits, and if Phil and Techno are allowed to attack, they won't be able to stop, and that isn't what they want to happen. So we have a child against me."</p><p>Silence.</p><p>"We might as well let Tommy die. Would make things a lot easier."</p><p>An axe shot through the air, landing a hair's breadth away from Hypixel's head, an arrow following it on the other side. Techno drew another axe and began to move towards Hypixel like an attack dog, but Tubbo stepped onto the table and held a hand out halting Techno's actions. The image alone of this teenager stopping the most powerful killer without a word was intimidating, but Grian amplified Tubbo's voice as he spoke, not enough to be silly, but enough to add that little extra strike of fear.</p><p>"When I was fourteen, I joined Tommy in starting a war against Dream. A war we won. When I was fifteen, I joined Wilbur and Tommy in building a nation, going to war again, being betrayed by a man I considered family, and won against two hunters and a man gifted with speed."</p><p>A step.</p><p>"I had to watch my best friend and his brother be torn from my side, and destroy the place I had built and loved. I've killed and killed and faced things no teenager should have to. I'm considered godlike with a bow."</p><p>Another step.</p><p>"Now, my other, who isn't even aware of that fact, is at his most fragile state, and has played the edge of death twice in two weeks. He has no knowledge of huge pieces of his past, what he's sacrificed, or the people responsible for the scars that mark his body."</p><p>A third step, halfway across the table, sharp breaths drawn in.</p><p>"I come here, looking to help one of the most, if not then the most important people in my life, and face you. A selfish admin who thinks about the money before the person. I face a coward, using an anarchy server to do the hard work of knocking him down for you. The man who convinced people to ignore their health to get meaningless achievements on your server."</p><p>Step 4. In line with Squid and Scott now.</p><p>"Tommy has never done anything to you. Never done anything against you. He spent ages on your server, having fun with the lads, working hard, getting the hours in. He's never caused any damage to you or your team. The only reason for your motivations must be your own greed."</p><p>Step 5. Nearly to the edge of the table now.</p><p>"I tell you this. Now that I'm aware, if you ever try any bullshit like that again, I will find you. I don't care who I have to talk to, which people I have to threaten. I will hunt you down, and I will kill you, and it will not be a fast death."</p><p>Silence fell over the room. Hypixel said nothing, despite the anger evident in his eyes.<br/>He stepped forwards.</p><p>And spat at Tubbo's feet.</p><p>[Hypixel] was slain buy [Tubbo] using [Potato Gun]<br/>[Hypixel] was slain by [Technoblade] using [The Axe of Peace]<br/>[Hypixel] was slain by [Dream] using [NOT PENIS]<br/>[Hypixel] was slain by [Ph1lzA] using magic<br/>[Hypixel] was slain by [Xelqua] using J⚍ᓭℸ ̣ ╎ᓵᒷ</p><p>"Hypixel. You'll be banned from the meet-up server until you can provide us with information on who Tommy spent time with on Skyblock. I'll expect a formal weekly report on glitches and update notes until you are permitted to return. I'll send you the form when I've spoken with my elders on how to properly punish your behaviour. Goodbye."</p><p>[Hypixel] was banned by [Xelqua] for gross misconduct and rude behaviour towards a superior. </p><p>"I'm his superior?"<br/>"Technically, yes. As a gifted with a hybrid other, your only superiors here are me, Phil and Xizuma."<br/>"What about Squid and Stampy?"</p><p>Both of them smiled softly at Tubbo, who now realised it was pointless to stand on the table, and moved Hypixel's chair to sit between Scott and Noxite, opposite the pair.</p><p>"Technically mate, yeah. We've changed our people. Encouraged playing on servers with close friends and making safe communities. X is yer superior because he's an admin, and an endkind as well. Your role is the future we're living now."<br/>"He's right too! Squid and I have paved our path! Every gifted used to have a scholar, but now they're wiped out, so their rarity makes them a high level."</p><p>Techno moved from where he'd been stopped by Tubbo, and pulled his diamond axe from the wall, then proceeded to sheathe the axe of peace.</p><p>“That was eventful.”</p><p>Phil’s shoulder popped again, and Techno punched it, causing a yell from Phil, and a loud crack, before Phil slumped into Techno’s arms.</p><p>“Uh? Techno?”<br/>“He’ll be fine. Wake up in about 5 minutes and his shoulder won’t bother him again.”<br/>“Shouldn’t you have asked?”<br/>“Used to do it all the time. It’s why his knees aren’t cracking.”<br/>“Okay… well, seeing as we’re pretty disjointed and missing two members, I guess I’m calling this meeting to a close. Do we have anyone to summarise our objectives?”</p><p>Scott stood up, and pushed his chair in before speaking.</p><p>“So Tommy can speak now, but won’t be able to do anything for another month and a bit yet. Hypixel needs to report back to us with information on who Tommy used to spend time with, and that information we can begin a path of action on how we’re going to get Tommy to make a decision without us influencing him on who to choose, or telling him the choice he has to make. We’ve also learnt that Tommy is not only the last of the lemonpeople and being hunted, but is also a gifted, along with Tubbo, his other.”</p><p>Dream hadn’t spoken this meeting, and rarely did, but when he chose to it was usually important, and that held true this time.</p><p>“Tubbo, forgive me for asking, but do you have Schlatt horns?”<br/>“Yeah, they developed a while ago, thanks to what’s been happening lately.”<br/>“They haven’t caused you too much pain I hope?”<br/>“I mean, Phil soothes them when he can, but the ridges can’t be and I just kinda latch onto him until the pain stops. <br/>Schlatt’s been treating me  little more kindly though. He might be against my other and Wilbur, but he still cares about me in some twisted way. He doesn’t treat me very well generally, but I think he remembers the pain growing these caused him, and feels some weird form of pity and sympathy?”<br/>“That would make sense. I don’t think he’s been taking good care of himself recently. Word on the street is he’s an alcoholic.”<br/>“Oh I don’t doubt that.”</p><p>With the meeting adjourned, and the notes taken, people began to file back to their respective servers, but Grian asked Tubbo to stay behind a while.</p><p>“Is there a problem?”<br/>“Not really, but I need you to watch out for Tommy more than you usually do. My elders won’t tell me the full truth, but if we follow the path the universe needs to take to advance, you’re going to be the person Tommy will look to for support, and if you’re not there to provide it, well…. I just have a bad feeling is all.”</p><p>Tubbo got the feeling Grian’s feelings were to be trusted.</p><p>“I will. Tommy’s usually the protective one out of the two of us, I’m not very good with close range, but if he needs support well… I’m the clingy one out of the two of us according to him.”<br/>“Thank you Tubbo.”<br/>“No worried Grine. Go back to annoying people. And tell False Tommy’s sworn revenge.”<br/>Grian smiled at him, and Tubbo realised he was thankful he had Grian backing him up. <br/>“I will. Good luck Toby.”<br/>“Good luck Charles.”</p><p>And as they walked away, to return to their respective servers, neither even thought to question how they knew the other’s name.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ya bitch got another set of chapters done, this time some of the ones I had left to go back to later. Plus a fair bit of editing, and a few rounds of Sprinto. </p><p>I’m gonna tell you, all of the chapters around Chapter 50 are so, so fun to write. One chapter “Clown on a day out” is literally just Clingyduo bullying Quig. </p><p>It’s nice to have a break from the angst sometimes isn’t it?</p><p>Guess I didn’t do that for you. 😅</p><p>Sorry! 😂</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. 24) Important information: He is not happy.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tubbo returns from the meeting only to immediately leave again with Phil.</p><p>Tommy, Techno and Wilbur discuss 2b2t, but only lightly.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey Ranboo, I made characters have amnesia first get original. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>My first post was literally December and I had been planning since October.</p><p>TLDR: Fuck Ranboo all my homies hate Ranboo (Nah)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tubbo came back from the admin meeting pissed, and with crossbow in hand. </p><p>Phil followed into the room after him, and immediately stood by him, talking softly, and no matter how hard he strained his ears, he couldn't hear a word Phil was saying.<br/>
Techno came next, wielding the axe of peace, and looking simultaneously pleased and mad, though not as mad as Tubbo was.</p><p>Wilbur had been talking to Tommy about a place called 'Solis Occasum' which, according to Wilbur meant 'the setting of the sun.' It was apparently the place Tommy had grown up WITH Wilbur. He remembered the house, and the places Wilbur described, but none of the tings he had supposedly done with Wilbur, including apparently breaking his arm, which Wilbur explained caused the click in his right wrist (which, oddly enough, was there, true to Wilbur's word) and falling off a glacier, getting himself stuck in an igloo for a few days until Phil came to get him. </p><p>"Tommy, Tubbo and I are going to go talk for a little bit, is that okay?"<br/>
"You gonna be okay Big T?"</p><p>Tubbo let out a breath, controlled, as if trying to release some of the anger he was clearly holding.</p><p>"Yeah, I'll be okay."<br/>
"Okay then man. Take your time."<br/>
"Thanks Tom."<br/>
"Anytime mate."</p><p>Phil gently steered Tubbo out of the room, and back through the portal, muttering quiet things as they went, somehow convincing him to hand the 'Potato Gun' over to Techno, who slid it under the bed. </p><p>"I'm guessing the meet didn't go well?"<br/>
"No, but we might be able to figure out another person you've forgotten Tommy."<br/>
"Really?"<br/>
"Yeah. Hypixel's said that he might be able to look through old records and find some of the people you used to play with."<br/>
"Tubbo found out didn't he?"<br/>
"Yeah, Tubbo found out."<br/>
"Found out about what?"</p><p>Wilbur leaned forwards towards Tommy, looking over in question</p><p>"When Scott first found out, he was so lovely about it. He built a garden above the MCC decision dome to plant it in. We had lemonade while we built it, and then he wrote some code in so you can't see these boys," he tapped his leaves, "Unless you're REALLY looking for them. Then he made the whole area invulnerable on that server so that we don't get any problems. It's why when I fall into lava I go feet first. If I die before my leaves, I prevent voiding. If both my leaves die at the same time before I do, that's a problem."<br/>
"Straying from the point there Tommy."<br/>
"Right, sorry, so basically when Hypixel found out, his first reaction was to have admins TP Techno away, then lock me in 2b2t."</p><p>Wilbur's breath left his body. His younger brother, locked away there.</p><p>"I was there for quite a while, Techno ended up calling Scott and Phil, and the three of them invaded the server and got me out after fuckin' ages."<br/>
"It was twelve hours Tommy."<br/>
"Twelve-"</p><p>Tommy fell silent, pursing his lips a moment, leaves flattening back against his head, fiddling his fingers.</p><p>"Fuck. I hadn't realised it was that short. I just focused on walking. I had to avoid highways, so it was just jumping place to place through the nether, finding a portal, trying to survive, and then getting on the move again. I walked so much, that was the one thing I remembered from Dad's books, always stay moving."<br/>
"Shit."<br/>
"I just remember walking, hopping across netherrack, and then Phil appears out of absolutely no-where, flying, I end up dying, and then I'm respawning, the three of them TP to where I am and I all but collapse into Phil's arms."</p><p>Wilbur falls backward, crashing into the bed.</p><p>"I FUCKING REMEMBER THAT."<br/>
"You do?"<br/>
"YEAH! God I was terrified! You came home curled up in Phil's arms, and you wouldn't wake up! God, we had to call Grian to check what was up with you. Turns out you were just really, really worn out."<br/>
"Oh."</p><p>Tommy couldn't look more awkward right now.</p><p>"Well, it turned out that Hypixel's plan was to have me survive for 24 hours, while he got in contact with the hunter network to have me sold or killed. Whichever one got him more money."</p><p>With that, silence fell, interrupted only by the clacking of boots down the ravine hallway, as Tubbo burst into the room, throwing himself beside Tommy and just sobbing.</p><p>The next words Tubbo spoke were barely above a whisper, but Tommy caught them anyway. </p><p>"Please. Please don't ever go anywhere near him without us again."<br/>
"I won't Toby. Promise."</p><p>And in that moment he knew he would keep that promise.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter (when I get my next chapters written) is the conversation Phil and Tubbo have, and an explanation as to why Tommy says “I hadn’t realised it was that short”</p><p>Have fun! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. 25) Current Mood: Murderous rage and violent rebellion.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tubbo is pissed, Phil is trying to calm him down, Hypixel is a dick because I said so.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Tommy, Tubbo and I are going to go talk for a little bit, is that okay?"<br/>"You gonna be okay Big T?"</p><p>Tommy met Tubbo's eyes for a second, and worry flashed. Tubbo only responded by taking a breath. </p><p>"Yeah, I'll be okay."<br/>"Okay then man. Take your time."<br/>"Thanks Tom."<br/>"Anytime mate."</p><p>Phil gently steered Tubbo from the room, saying something he couldn't quite catch, but he felt Phil's hand on his, the one that was gripping the crossbow, and he gently handed it over to Techno. </p><p>He felt himself walk through the portal, but didn't register anything as he took the stairs out of the ravine. Just kept walking, Phil's hand on the small of his back, gently circling. </p><p>"Okay I think we're far away enough from anything. You need to scream or something?"<br/>"2b2t."<br/>"Yes."<br/>"He was locked, in 2b2t."<br/>"Yes."<br/>"And no-one told me."<br/>"No."<br/>"Why did no-one tell me? I live with you!"<br/>"I don't know Tubbo, I have no explanation for that."<br/>"Well, I know now. How the fuck did he survive?"<br/>"I don't know. He won't talk about it. I only managed to get him out."<br/>"How long was he there?"<br/>"Twelve hours."<br/>"Twelve-"</p><p>Tubbo staggered backwards a little bit.</p><p>"How?"<br/>"All he's told us is that he kept walking. I keep all of the books from the academy, and Tommy read through them a lot. All he remembered from them was 'avoid highways' and 'keep moving'. I caught him just after his death, Scott, Techno and I managed to get in and find him, and when he respawned he collapsed into me."<br/>"He survived. In 2b2t."<br/>"Mostly in the Nether."<br/>"He hates the Nether. That's- He's-"</p><p>"He scared the shit out of Wilbur. I came home with an unconscious Tommy in my arms, and there's Scott and Techno looking like they're ready to kill god."<br/>"And for good reason."<br/>"He didn't wake up for three days. We called Grian to see what was wrong with him, he was just super tired. Just, don't walk for 12 hours straight. He was bed-bound for a good week."</p><p>"Hypixel deserved worse than what I did. I should have shot him more than three times. Should have hit him with Techno's axe."<br/>"You killed him. There's not much more you could do."<br/>"I could drag him here, kill him, kill him, kill him. Twelve- That’s nearly a month in there Phil- Time’s different. One hour, two days. Twelve- I could kill him.”<br/>"You could."<br/>"He's a selfish."<br/>"Yes."<br/>"Ignorant."<br/>"Yes."<br/>"Horrid."<br/>"Yes."<br/>"Bastard."</p><p>Tubbo paused, and then reconsidered his words.</p><p>"That's mean."<br/>"Yes."<br/>"I'm sorry."<br/>"You shouldn't be. He's threatened a friendship deeper than any relationship."</p><p>Phil then shook his head like a fly had crawled into his ear, and spoke again.</p><p>“I just went over your speech in my head. You’re a gifted.”<br/>“…yeah.”<br/>“You’re Tommy’s other.”<br/>“…yeah.”<br/>“That’s….”<br/>“A lot. I know.”</p><p>Phil took a step back, as if he’d been punched.</p><p>“I knew gifted shaped the future, but I’ve never seen it done like this. In all my life-“<br/>“Yeah. I thought it’d be something small like Stamps or Xizuma. But now-“<br/>“With everything Tommy is.”<br/>“I’m a bit scared of what’s going to come. You can understand why I didn’t want to tell him. Not now. Maybe, when this is fixed? When he’s out of the ground, when he recovers his memories, if he can”</p><p>Shit. Phil hadn’t told him about the deal.</p><p>“Maybe then. But not now. I know how much he cares about his family, and if he knew the future he’s creating is created by me as well…”</p><p>It wasn’t said, but the ending to that was ‘he’d be afraid to put me in danger’</p><p>“I understand. Maybe when we fix things.”<br/>"Can we go home?"<br/>"Yes."</p><p>And so they did. And Tubbo sprinted down those stairs. And he made Tommy make a promise.</p><p>"Please. Please don't ever go anywhere near him without us again."<br/>"I won't Toby. Promise."</p><p>And Tubbo hoped to god that he would keep that promise.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am not gonna upload for a while, because my 26 posted chapters are catching up on the 54 written, so I’ve planned and am aiming to write the next ten (haha a stack of chapters) before I upload any more.</p><p>I’M SORRY I LOVE YOU GUYS REALLY I SWEAR</p><p>pwomise. 🥺👉💖👈</p><p>Anyways I might have a new memory log up as well so I can expand a little on Tommy’s 2b2t experience. It won’t be very detailed, more me writing a lot about Tommy barely avoiding death constantly, wearing himself down to the bone by growing plants just to survive, and being goddamn tired.</p><p>Also, I have 50 chapters for just the FIRST ARC. There are 3 arcs this season, and there are 50 for the FIRST ARC.</p><p>Summary: I might have sold my soul to this fic.</p><p>Sorry for the long note, love you! Bye!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. 26) Ya done goofed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I’ve decided to stop beating you with the angst stick for a little while, so it’s time to play cards.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Two months in now, and Tommy's upper arms had finally formed, meaning the lower arm had too, and Tommy could now do something he enjoyed very much:</p><p>Destroy everyone at cards.</p><p>Tommy had played a lot of cards the first time round almost voiding. UNO, Go Fish, Clock? He won them all, and often.</p><p>Playing at home, he'd also been pretty good. Phil was incredibly good at pulling a poker face, and Tommy ended up being his main competitor in the household as he got better and better at playing. (His neutral face had always been perfect, how else had he kept his secret hidden for so long?)</p><p>They'd only been playing cards for a day, and already, Wilbur was getting annoyed.</p><p>"I forgot that this is why we always said no to playing cards with you. How have you managed to win again?"<br/>"Last time helped, that and I like playing cards."<br/>"Why can't we just play Quirky?"</p><p>Quirky, according to Phil, was a game based more on arguments and persuasion than strategy. You had to answer a question, though it didn’t have to be correct, you only had to convince everyone what you were saying was true.</p><p>"No."<br/>"Why not? As far as you're concerned we've never played!"<br/>"I'm going to go off of how pained Tech and Dad look whenever you mention it."<br/>"Well, we've played Uno and Go Fish and Snap, what else are we gonna play?"<br/>"Have you ever played race solitaire?"<br/>"Race solitaire?"<br/>"Yeah, you just play solitaire while racing against each-other to see who can finish the fastest!"<br/>"Will, I wouldn't suggest it. We'd play and he always wins minutes ahead. I had to go battle people in Skywars at the end of every game because he'd annoy me. Don't do it."</p><p>Wilbur hesitated for a moment, glancing at Phil, who shrugged, before turning back to Tommy.</p><p>"Let's do it."</p><p>And they did.<br/>About a minute in, Tommy had already finished half a column, and Techno left, only muttering "Gonna go kill some nerds"</p><p>Two minutes in, Tommy had finished the first column and seemed to be picking up the pace. He was picking up cards from the reserve pile and placing them without even checking what they were. He'd memorised the stack already.</p><p>Three minutes in, and Tommy was halfway through his third of four columns, and nearing the end. </p><p>Wilbur had just finished his first column.</p><p>Four fifteen and... "DONE!"</p><p>Tommy was smiling triumphantly, both arms punching the air. </p><p>"How did you do that so fast?"<br/>"Practice."<br/>"How do you practice Solitaire? It's random every time!"<br/>"I practice remembering the cards in the spare piles, whether it's better to stack on the ace piles or not, and learning how to guess what cards are where."<br/>"You can't guess what cards are where! It's completely random!"<br/>"Give me another reason I did that so fast then."</p><p>Wilbur, obviously, couldn't answer.</p><p>"This is why Techno refuses to play race solitaire. Wil."<br/>"Cuz I beat him every time!"</p><p>Phil had been getting oddly happier being in the SMP. Despite the danger Tommy was in, he seemed happier being with his family again, instead of spending so much time alone. No-one actually knew why Phil dedicated so much time to his hardcore worlds. Other people got lonely and stopped, but not Phil. In fact, as far as Tommy could remember, Phil had never made his own server. Techno owned their home server.</p><p>That was another thing you didn't ask about in the Watson household.</p><p>"Tubbo, play with Tommy for me. I need a mental break."<br/>"I destroy card games and minds! The great TommyInnit! Fear me!"<br/>"I'm gonna go find Techno. Who has he killed?"</p><p>Phil checked his comm.</p><p>"Ponk, Punz, Ponk again, George."<br/>"He isn't under attack?"<br/>"No, he sent this."</p><p>[Technoblade]: Going on a murder spree to destress. Anyone up for dying?<br/>[Ponk]: Sure I'm bored.<br/>[Punz]: I'm down if I'm allowed to fight back.<br/>[GeorgeNotFound]: Go for it. <br/>[Sapnap]: I probably deserve it. I'm at _____/______</p><p>"He's probably hunting Sapnap right now."<br/>"I don't blame him."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Prologue: 22/12/2020<br/>Final Chapter: ??/??/????</p></blockquote></div></div>
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